The Dead Never Stay Dead
by Ange Noir
Summary: Kenshin is killed during the midst of battle and leaves everyone to pick up the pieces. However two celestial beings have got it into their heads to give him a chance at life again. However there's a twist! Attention all! New chapter up!
1. Introduction

Title: The Dead Never Stay Dead

Author: Ange Noir

Genre: Drama/Romance/Supernatural/Angst/Tragedy/and many more that I'm too lazy to list at the moment

Rating: PG for now

Summary: Amidst a tiring battle, Kenshin loses his life to another. Grief-stricken, the Kenshin-gumi head on home, but nobody feels as low as the heartbroken Kaoru does. But low and behold, Kenshin is given another chance. The catch is that it's in another body! Will Kaoru and the others find out that Kenshin is back with them at last? And look out for some appearances made by some of the beloved villains from the show!

Warning: Death of a character and spoiler of an episode

Pairings: Traditional pairings but a triangle complex might show up in the near future

A/N: this wasn't up before so this is just another excuse to include yet another poem and besides, I'm changing the format because after looking at it, it was…crappy.

Disclaimer: I wished on my birthday to own Rurouni Kenshin so any day now I should be getting the papers. Hehe…suckers

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Part zero- Introduction

* * *

For ten lonely years, I wondered throughout this prosperous land

My arms always gave help, while my heart was open to understand

I wasn't happy this I knew

But it was only because my debts weren't paid, and my atonements were past due

So as I trudged on mile after mile with me living in my own form of exile,

My façade developed into a fake clumsiness and an empty rurouni smile

But even so, my past always caught up to me once in awhile

But then I stumbled across this lively, young woman

Who had more fire in her eyes than most Asians

She gave me shelter and in return, I helped her

After taking part in a low-class fray,

I decided to chase away both her and my loneliness and stay

From my acquaintance with her, my family started to build

From two doctors and two girls, an ex-gangster, and a young samurai who is in fact very skilled

And although we still had hardships and trials, we conquered them all with our own style

Unconsciously, I planned not to leave here for awhile

I felt as if I could live out my life this way

Spent in the warmth of my family each and everyday

But of course these bright times couldn't last

And my time spent with my family ended too soon and went by so fast

I was soon taken away from them as they from me

And we couldn't be reunited no matter how heartfelt were my pleas

But then I learned that this wasn't meant to be

And that I was to be sent back to my family

But the results proved not to be so kind,

As I was stuck in a body other than mine

Alas there wasn't anything I could do

So I had to restart my life with my family anew

So now you will hear of my life story

and amidst all the bad it ended in glory

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SPOILER ALERT!!! SPOILER ALERT!!! SPOILER ALERT!!! SPOILER ALERT!!! SPOILER ALERT!!!

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25. Scarlet Pirate! Kenshin and Kaoru Separated!

The Kenshin-gumi are running a little tight on money since Kaoru is their only source of income, and let's face it, growing men eat…a lot. Since they are broke and need money fast, Sano found Kenshin, Yahiko, and himself jobs to become guards on a merchant ship.

The job pays extremely well but that's only because there have been strings of pirate attacks led by the mysterious leader Shuura, whose face nobody have seen and lived to tell the tale.

They being the men they are, left for the job without telling Kaoru about it. Well were they ever in for a surprise when Kaoru signed up as a cook on board and bumped into them once they were on the ship and already out to sea. Kenshin being the worrywart we all know him to be, is all worried about Kaoru's safety and with just cause too, but Kaoru is confident that she can take care of herself.

The latter proves not to be true when pirates attack late into the night led by the legendary pirate Shuura. In the process of protecting Kaoru, Kenshin is shot with a poisonous dart and soon afterwards gets involved in a short, deadly duel with Shuura herself. Shuura turned out to be female (hurray!), surprising many people aboard. Even with the disadvantage of the unsteady terrain and the poison coursing through him, Kenshin still manage to defeat Shuura but only barely since he was barely conscious himself.

As the pirates begin to retreat with their newly acquired stolen goods, one of them attempts to make off with Kaoru in tow. Kenshin then makes a desperate plea to exchange himself for Kaoru, and Shuura seeing how this can work in her favor for a rematch against him instantly agrees. Despite the other's protests, Kenshin sets off as Shuura's hostage on her pirate ship. So while Kaoru is free, Kenshin is poisoned and at the mercy of ruthless bandits…

END INTRODUCTION

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A/N 

Gomen if it's a little slow and very, very short. Questions, comments, complaints are all welcome it's what I live for. This is my first fanfic so be gentle please. Hope you enjoyed it so far, I assure you there's more to come. You can e-mail me at Arigato everyone for sticking past the title page. Sayonara for now.


	2. Prologue

Title: The Dead Never Stay Dead

Author: Ange Noir

Genre: Drama/Romance/Supernatural/Angst/Tragedy/and many more that I'm too lazy to list at the moment

Rating: PG for now

Summary: Amidst a tiring battle, Kenshin loses his life to another. Grief-stricken, the Kenshin-gumi head on home, but nobody feels as low as the heartbroken Kaoru does. But low and behold, Kenshin is given another chance. The catch is that it's in another body! Will Kaoru and the others find out that Kenshin is back with them at last? And look out for some appearances made by some of the beloved villains from the show!

Warning: Death of a character and spoiler of an episode

Pairings: Traditional pairings but a triangle complex might show up in the near future

Disclaimer: Bleh…as if my life is bad enough, you just had to rub it in

A/N: I may not update a lot, but you got to hand it in to me for my revisions

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Part zero.five- Prologue

* * *

You left in order to save me and to set me free

The farther you drift away the more my heart bleeds

With you gone it feels as if I'm missing a part

A part of my heart a part of my soul

I just can't let you go

I'm coming back to rescue you

Without even knowing what to do

I'm coming back for you because I just can't bear life without you

* * *

Kenshin stepped onboard the pirate ship and for a second there he felt uncertainty take hold on him. But when he looked back at Kaoru, the one he was sacrificing himself for, all doubt was erased from his mind. Will he ever see his family again? Will he ever see Kaoru again? Of course he will, he just has to. He will return for his family, return for Kaoru, return for himself. 

Kenshin looked out to see the ship that he had willingly left for another. It's time for goodbyes but he will make sure that it won't be forever.

"Sano, Yahiko," Kenshin ordered, "take care of Kaoru-dono for me." His voice was confident and strong. It held out all that he strongly felt or it that's what he hoped. IT's hard to believe that he has to part from his family. Imagining life without them seems imaginable because he's gotten so use to them. He won't be there to look after Kaoru or to make sure that she doesn't blame herself for all of this. He won't be there to look after Sano or Yahiko. He won't be there to…No, it's better not to look on the downside. He'll be back, he'll make sure of that. And this time when he comes back he will make sure to bear his feelings, all of his feelings to Kaoru.

He couldn't resist looking at her one more time as if to engrave her image in his mind so that he won't lose his nerve and if he should be unable to return then his memory of her will be with him always.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru cried out to him struggling to look at his receding image through the tears. It might have been her imagination but before Shuura's boat and Kenshin disappeared into the misty fog, she thought she saw Kenshin eyes. Even from that far of a distance, his eyes stood out so acutely in such inclement weather, shining brightly as a cat. His eyes, she imagined for a moment looked as though they were filled with, dare she hope, love. More specifically, love for her. Kaoru resisted the overwhelming urge to keep on crying. She wiped away the remaining tears and her back stiffened with resolve. She turned towards Sanosuke and Yahiko with a fire glinting in her eyes. "We have to save Kenshin." she said determinedly, "We have to rescue him before it's too late." Sano and Yahiko nodded in unison.

"We already know that." Sano replied. "We just have to wait until the boat's far enough before we tail them. After all we don't want our presence known too soon."

Yahiko glanced at Kaoru's tearstained face and worry-filled eyes. He knew that she was in deep turmoil and that might be a disadvantage if they have to fight the pirates or even Shuura herself. She might get hurt and Kenshin said to look after her so he wouldn't be following his orders if he allowed her to rush headfirst into danger so unstable.

"Kaoru," Yahiko suggested, "maybe you should go back with the boat and wait for us at the dojo." He regretted the words that slipped from his mouth after he saw Kaoru's face. If looks could kill he would be dead, resurrected, and murdered all over again. He almost took a step back suddenly feeling very wary of her for an angry Kaoru isn't a very good thing.

"It's my fault that he's in this situation in the first place so I'm going to stay help and get him out of it whether you like it or not." Kaoru replied fiercely.

"Sorry I said anything." Yahiko spoke in his defense. "It was just a suggestion, you know."

"Kiddies," Sano interrupted, "stop fighting and help me catch up with the boat. We don't want to lose them." He had already found a small rowboat and was waiting below the ship expectantly looking up at the duo. As Kaoru and Yahiko started towards the rowboat, Sanosuke smirked to himself as the once forgotten feelings of adventure and an upcoming battle take root of him. "Little do they know, they're about to be in for a rude awakening." So the trio set out to sea to save Kenshin, their friend, their confidant, their fighting partner, the member of their family.

* * *

Gomen if it's a little slow and very, very short. Questions, comments, complaints are all welcome it's what I live for. This is my first fanfic so be gentle please. Hope you enjoyed it so far, I assure you there's more to come. You can e-mail me at Arigato everyone for sticking past the title page. Sayonara for now. 

IMPORTANT: oh I haven't revised anything past this but you can read my other chaps. If you want. Also drop a review and tell me what's wrong with them.


	3. Kenshin's Death and Shurra's Downfall

_Disclaimer: I know you all must get pretty tired seeing these at every fanfic, but it is just something that just has to be done. I first and foremost acknowledge Nobuhiro Watsuki as the RK creator. Any of her characters, their situations, and etc. that appear in my story are all a part of my conspiracy to entertain readers one webpage at a time. Bwuhahahaha! (Evil crazed laughter).._

A/N

Japanese vocabulary can be found at the top of the page. Most of them you guys probably already know but just in case_… _I'll try to do this for my other chapters.

Vocab…

jou-chan Sano's nickname for Kaoru; "little woman" or "missy"

baka stupid, idiot

oro face how Kenshin's face usually looks when he's oros.

ano um

koishii darling, beloved

anata dear, love (as a noun)

masaka it can't be, I don't believe it

aishitero i love you

oi hey

buso ugly, hag; Yahiko's name for Kaoru

ne right

-chan a suffix meaning cute or little

tori atama chicken head, Sano's nickname

kisama you...! (_strong__, curse-like)_

ki the Japanese term for "life force"

**Special thanks to…**

Haru: thanks for being my first reviewer (_under breath-_ and only I might add) even though it was one worded. Well actions speak louder than words, ne? This is encouraging me to write more since people actually do read my stuff. .

"" dialogue

'' thoughts

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Part One- Kenshin's death and Shuura's downfall

* * *

He's out, he's free

I'm no longer me

My hand grabs my hilt after observing all the blood that I spilt

My jaw clenches tight in preparation for the fight

All my eyes see is red

I'm about to make the living dead

Battousai is out of his cage

He is throwing a bloodthirsty rage

He's going to kill just for the thrill

Now that he is freed

He is going to enjoy watching everyone suffer and bleed

This is my destiny; my fate

Now that he's out it's too late

* * *

"Himura Kenshin," Shuura drawled out, "you are the only person that has ever beat me at fighting yet you let me live. That shall be your undoing." The only response she got out of him was the deadening of his eyes as the poison slowly progressed in him. "Of course I can't just let you go." she continued, "For all I know it could have been a fluke. So to settle it once and for all we'll fight… to the death."

Kenshin looked straight at her, "I don't want to fight you. I don't do that anymore." He stated simply. "I just don't want to hurt you."

Shuura answered haughtily, "Well it's my boat and you're my prisoner so therefore you'll have to do whatever I say. Anyways, I think you should be more afraid of your well-being than mine. I wouldn't think too high and mighty of myself if I was you. Consequently you're on my turf in domain so you are at my mercy. "

Kenshin looked searchingly into Shuura's eyes trying to find a way out of this mess. He saw nothing but the cold-heartedness of a person gone bad. He sighed and bowed his head his bangs masking his fluttering emotions of defeat and disappointment that shadowed his face. "As you wish." He said softly his voice nearly inaudible.

The poison was getting to him and Battousai was waking up. If he put his guard down for one second he will come out. Shuura instantly drew her sword and charged straight for him. Kenshin barely had time to pull out his own to counterattack. Above the roaring of the ocean waves and the loud uproar of the crew, all you can hear is the clashing of swords and the occasional slicing of flesh. 'I don't want to hurt her.' Kenshin thought, 'But I have to end this and return to my friends wait, no, return to my family.' The image of Shuura was becoming unclear and unfocused. 'It must be the poison.' He thought logically, 'I guess it means that I don't have much time.' He sidestepped an attack that just missed him by a hair. Kenshin stumbled and almost lost his balanced after jumping out of the way of yet another deadly move. 'It seems that my reaction time, speed, and coordination skills are all slipping.' He realized. 'They are all the basis of most of my sword techniques. I can't keep on defending; battles don't get solved that way. Yet if I try to move on the offensive I might lose control and become Battousai.'

"Kenshin!" someone called out. He glanced back distracted. It was Kaoru-dono, Yahiko, and Sanosuke. Shuura saw an opening at this most vulnerable time of his and went for it. She cut him from his ribcage to his navel. Kenshin gasped out in pain. The pain caused him to forget himself and let his guard slip. That was all it took. He became infuriated from the stench of his own blood. His eye color swirled until it became indistinguishable. His eyes grew hard and malicious changing from the rouroni's clear violet eyes to the ominous glowing golden yellow ones of the battousai's. He was now Battousai the Manslayer.

They finally made it. They can now focus on defeating Shuura and her ruffians and rescuing Kenshin. Once aboard they had to find Kenshin but that didn't prove too difficult. A blur of pink and red gave away his location. "Kenshin!" Kaoru couldn't help crying out. Kenshin stopped fighting to look at her. Before either of them realized it, Shuura slashed Kenshin in the side. His face contorted in pain and Kaoru's heart contracted. His eyes Kenshin's gentle, serene, beautiful violet eyes turned into the golden eyes of the bloodthirsty Battousai.

"It's all my fault." Kaoru thought, "It's my fault once again. It was my fault that he got forced on this boat and that's he's now fighting Shuura as the dreaded Battousai."

"Jou-chan," Sano called out startling her out of her reverie. Even admist all this danger he still manages to call her by her nickname. "Look behind you!" Kaoru nimbly dodged two of Shurra's henchmen who were charging straight towards her. They kept running and then they flipped over the side railing splashing into the murky waters below. Men were coming in from all directions; when one fell three instantly took his place. Kaoru, Yahiko, and Sano had their hands full. They didn't have time to fight and worry about the Shuura / Battousai battle at the same time. Kaoru swung her bokken injuring yet another attacker but two more popped up out of nowhere. She risked looking back at Sano and Yahiko. Amidst a throng of swordsmen they were fighting back to back. 'Mou, will we be able to rescue Kenshin before it's too late?' Kaoru speculated as she blocked an onslaught of multiple attacks.

'He seems more dangerous and he's making more mistakes because of it and the poison.' Shurra observed. 'His eyes they're a different color and they are harsher, meaner. It's as if he's a whole different person. I heard of the legendary Battousai during the revolution. Could this possibly be him? It has to be for there aren't many people in this world who have red hair a cross scar face with golden eyes. It must be him, he must be Hitokiri Battousai.' Kenshin's breathing became labored and his movements sluggish as if he was fighting in a sea of mud. He bit back the pain as his numerous injuries complained. It was a struggle to just lift his sword much less battle with it. His attacks were becoming predictable and were easily dodged but that didn't mean he wasn't a formidable foe. After all he had the Battousai on his side. He felt relieved when his sword met flesh and angered when his moves were easily countered. They both stopped to catch their breath while eyeing each other warily. They gathered up their remaining strength to make this round their last. This round will decide once and for all who the better fighter is and who will live in triumph or die in agonizing defeat.

They flew at each other and their surroundings faded to black. All they could see were each other. All they could hear was the desire to prevail resonating in their ears. They clashed sword meeting sword, metal against metal with neither adversary gaining or losing any leverage. Just when Kenshin was beginning to have the upper hand, Shurra's took out a concealed dagger and stabbed at Kenshin's new still bleeding wound. He tried to evade this attack but his timing was too slow. He doubled over in agony clenching his teeth so as not to cry out in pain.

Kaoru felt it rather than saw it. She had to get to Kenshin now there's not much time. She struggled through the multitude of fighters immediately striking down anyone who opposed her. Then she saw them. They were oblivious to everyone but each other.

She saw Kenshin suffering on the ground and a triumphant Shurra with a maniacal expression on her face raise her sword above her and…No! She wouldn't make it in time. "Kenshin!" she shouted desperately. "Kenshin, look out!" Kenshin looked up in time to see the edge of a blood-splattered sword rapidly coming towards him aimed at his throat. He tried to dodge it, but the sword penetrated a more critical point…his heart.

To Kaoru it was as if it was all happening in slow motion. She saw him attempt to dodge the blow but either he was too slow or the sword was too close because it plunged into his heart. She rushed toward him. "Kenshin, nooooo!" she shouted brokenly her throat clogged with unshed tears.

Sano and Yahiko knew something wasn't right. They looked around but Kaoru wasn't with them. Suddenly a shout cut through the air. They knew without a doubt that it had to be her. They frantically fought their way through the crowd towards where Kaoru hopefully was. The scene they stumbled upon was horrific.

They witness Shuura withdraw sword that was skewered into Kenshin's heart. Kaoru ran up to Kenshin and just collapsed on him. Kenshin weakly gathered Kaoru up in his arms, heedless of the piercing pain it was causing him. "Oh Kenshin," she sobbed into his bloodied chest, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. I didn't make it in time and it's all my fault that this happened." She felt a hand grasp her wrist and looked up to see Kenshin's eyes go from amber to amethyst; from Battousai to Rurouni.

"Kaoru-dono," he said weakly, "don't cry." Kenshin tenderly wiped away the tears that were rapidly falling down her face. "It's not your fault. Sessha wants you to be happy. Please take good care of Sanosuke and Yahiko for me."

A distressed and sadden Kaoru was seen shaking her head in adamant refusal. "Stop it Kenshin. Kenshin no baka. Stop talking like that. You're not going to die on me, you hear? We're going to get you help and then you'll be good as new."

Kenshin only smiled, fondly reminded of how stubborn Kaoru could be. "Don't worry, Kaoru." he said gently "We're going to see each other again so please be happy. If not for yourself then for me."

Kaoru pulled away from Kenshin at arms length, realizing that he dropped the honorific that he so blatantly usually adds to her name. "Say it Kenshin. Say it again."

For a moment he looked confused and gave her his oro face, "Ano, we're going to see each other again?" He repeated questionably.

Kaoru shook her head, "No, the part where you said my name."

Kenshin smiled in understandment, "Kaoru, my beloved, my dear, Kaoru."

She smiled contented for awhile. Then the rest of his previous words sunk in. "Be happy? Be happy!" she repeated incredulously. "How can you ask that of me? I can never be happy without you Kenshin, never." She declared forcibly.

Kenshin only smiled tiredly at her. He just felt so weary and he wanted so much to rest his eyes just for a minute but he was afraid if he did he might not wake up. "Koishii, promise me that you'll live. Live for me at least. I want you to find joy in your life. I lived for your joy and I died for it as well. Live for me anata, live for me."

Kaoru slipped out of his embrace to gather him up in her own arms. "How can I be happy with you gone?" She questioned her voice muffled by his hair she buried her face in. She finally accepted that he was dying and wouldn't be with her much longer. "And tell me why do I deserve happiness when your death was all my fault?"

"Kaoru, look at me." He ordered. When she didn't comply he lifted her chin and stared intensely into her eyes. 'I can just drown in them.' He thought absently. "You can be happy by making me happy. To make me happy all you have to do is live. Live and you will soon rediscover the happiness that you thought died when I did. Time may not heal these wounds but it will make it bearable. Keep that in mind koishii, keep that in mind. And don't you dare tell me that you don't deserve happiness because you do." He raised his index finger against her lips to stop any protests. "You deserve it Kaoru because I love you." Before she could think of any replies to his statements, he reached up and sealed his words with a kiss. This kiss answered all that was left unsaid and more. This kiss was a kiss of goodbye, a farewell kiss. Kenshin sighed the overwhelming feeling of lethargy overcoming him at last. During that kiss he drew in his final breath and his soul left this world at last.

Kaoru felt Kenshin sag against her. She broke away from him and felt her heart still. He wasn't breathing. She frantically searched for signs of life in him but it was all to no avail. Kaoru's eyes widened and a torrent of tears rushed forth. "Masaka" she whispered to herself in disbelief. "No! No! No! No!" With each word her voice raised up in volume.

She felt a hand on her shoulder. Kaoru looked up to see a compassionate Sano and a grief stricken Yahiko by her. "Jou-chan" he said simply not knowing any words to ease her pain. Yahiko lowered his tear stained face the shadows hiding it from the others view. He felt ashamed for being too weak, of being unable to help Kenshin like when Kenshin helped him months ago when they first met. For once in his life he had nothing to say.

Kaoru looked up to her two companions foe consolation and some well placed words to soothe her crying heart. "This wasn't supposed to happen. We were supposed to come in and rescue him and everything will turn out alright. Where did we go wrong? Tell me where did we go wrong?"

She turned and looked at Kenshin accusingly. "You weren't supposed to die on me. I'll never forgive you. I- I'll hate you, I will I swear it." Her voice turned desperate as her words fell on deaf ears. "Don't you dare die on me. Don't you leave me. I just couldn't bear it if you do. Why did you have to leave me Kenshin, why?" She tightly hugged Kenshin's lifeless body to her and lightly kissed his cold, dead lips that were devoid of any warmth. She slowly leaned in, her mouth grazing on one of his ears as the stray hairs by it tickled her sensitive nose. "Aishitero, my love, aishitero." She murmured hoping that those words would somehow be able to reach Kenshin so that he'll know how she really felt about him. She gently laid him on the ground tenderly tucking back some fly away hair strands from his face. "It's sad" she thought out loud to herself, "how something I yearned for so much had to come at such a price." She looked up to Sano. "I would've rather have had him live hating me than die loving me. This is all my fault you know. If only…" she smiled up at him the gesture not quite reaching her eyes.

"Dammit Kaoru, stop blaming yourself!" Sano exploded not knowing any other way to get through to her. Kaoru's fake smile slipped from her face and the irises of her reddened eyes widened slightly. Sano went on more gently, "It was his choice, Jou-chan. You didn't force him to go with Shuura, he went on his own. The choices we make in this world are not the fault of the people we make them for but the fault of our own. It was his choice so therefore it was his fault and don't you go tell me otherwise. So don't lay the blame on yourself, okay? It was his fault you got that, his fault and no one else's."

Kaoru nodded her head and felt a huge burden slide off her shoulders. "Thank you Sano. I think I really needed that." She embraced Sano letting herself get lost in his warmth. Another pair of arms came around them. Kaoru looked down to see Yahiko tightly gripping them both.

"Oi, buso" he said in gruff tone. "Just because Kenshin's gone doesn't mean you'll want us gone too, ne?"

Kaoru nodded her head in confirmation. "I wouldn't dream of it." She said reassuringly. She looked adoringly at her friends, her fighting partners, her brothers, her family. Now more than ever they'll need to be together. "But how will we survive. Will we be able to make it?"

Sano looked down at Kaoru noticing the uncertainty that was in her voice. "Of course we'll be able to." Yahiko stated matter- of- factly. "We'll survive by living, living one day at a time." Kaoru smiled letting it reach her eyes this time. For a second there he almost sounded like Kenshin. 'They'll survive and I'll try to do what Kenshin asked of me-live.'

A sudden movement caught Kaoru's eyes. It was Shuura and she was attempting to get away on a small boat that was hanging on the side of the ship. Kaoru broke up the embrace to confront her. 'She's not getting away that easily.' She thought grimly. "Shuura, stop right where you are." She commanded. "You aren't leaving here unless you are able to defeat me."

Shuura turned around amused. "Are you challenging me? If the fabled Battousai couldn't defeat me what makes you think you, a mere slip of a girl, can ever accomplish what he failed at?" But at seeing Kaoru's determined look and the hardened of her eyes filled fathomless with pained emotions, she consented. "Well since I doubt I can change your mind then alright. Defeating those weaker than me was always my favorite past time."

With a strangled shout Kaoru charged at her. Adrenaline was pumping into her blood and an immense increase in power and strength made her feel as if she was unstoppable. She was doing this for her beloved and all the other people Shuura and her men may have killed before. With that in mind Kaoru charged on.

"Kaoru, nooo! Don't do it!" Yahiko yelled out to her. He started to run off and stop her but he felt a resistance holding him back. It was Sano. "Let me go," Yahiko cried out struggling to get out of his grasp. "I've got to help Kaoru before it's too late." 'Or before she winds up like Kenshin and I'll be alone again.' He thought on the side.

"Yahiko, listen to me." Sano reasoned. This is something that she just has to do more for her peace of mind than for anything else. She has to see this through on her own whether we like it or not." Yahiko stopped struggling and kept looking at Sano and the ensuing battle between Shuura and Kaoru. He then nodded his head in compliance.

"Yeah for once you're right, surprisingly." Yahiko said. "But that doesn't mean I like it." Yahiko sighed despairingly and hung his head.

Sano looked at his bent form for a minute or so. 'This kid sure has grown up a lot.' He went on in a lighter tone hoping to lift the mood. "Come on Yahiko-chan, let's go find some of Shuura's men and teach them how real guys fight."

Yahiko looked up at him an eager smile alighting on his face. "Yeah let's go kick some bad guy- hey tori atama did you just call me chan? You did didn't you! Why why kisama! Oh I'm so gonna…!" Yahiko immediately latched onto Sano's head, gnawing on his porcupine hair.

Sano sighed and slowly walked away from the arising fight towards some shady looking characters situated in the back. 'Then again I could be wrong. This kid may be still as immature as ever.'

'How is this possible?' Shuura thought. 'How can I be losing to this this wench whose only weapon of choice is an old worn bamboo stick?' Shuura was knocked out of her musings with a smart blow to her stomach almost knocking the breath out of her. She painfully got back on her feet and a smirk filtered across her face. 'I guess the battousai took more out of me than I thought.'

Kaoru kept coming at Shuura her battle ki was like a whirlwind of rage and grief. While Shuura blocked one attack, Kaoru was already carrying out the next one. She then changed tactics and started to pepper Shuura with numerous ever varying assaults. This caught her off guard but she was soon able to retaliate and in the process she broke Kaoru's bokken cleanly in half with on sure sweep. So caught up in the elation from pulling this off she failed to notice her opponent's viper like hands swipe her sword from right under her eyes. 'Oh well it's not likely that she knows how to use it. But since she has it in her possession I better be on my guard. It is after all a very sharp katana.'

All of a sudden the broken bokken that was forgotten in Kaoru's other hand aimed straight for the back of Shuura's locked knees. It hit the target causing the ground flying from beneath Shuura. The compact of falling left her a little winded. Looking up from where she was she gazed into a pair of fiery ice, blue eyes that had her own sword poised at the base of her neck. She sighed admitting her defeat. She smiled to herself enjoying the irony of it all. Here she was the great and all powerful Shuura who beat many strong fighters including the legendary Battousai, laying at the feet of this wisp of a girl who defeated her by just the use of her bokken. Now suddenly irritated at herself for being beaten so easily she spat out acidly to the victor, "Well if you're going to kill me then kill me already, now's a good time as any."

She felt the cold metal tip of the blade mildly slide across her throat before being removed. A thin trail of crimson slowly cascaded down her neck. Shuura closed her eyes and her body tensed, expecting to feel the metallic blade cut through her flesh making a fatal wound. She waited and waited and…nothing? She shot open her eyes just in time to see Kaoru toss her sword over board.

"I won't kill you." Kaoru informed her. "It's not for your sake but for Kenshin and my morals." She turned and gazed awhile upon Kenshin's body. She turned back her eyes blazing with an uncontrollable fury and melancholy. "But I hope you will come to regret your actions. How could you do this? Are you too proud that you would exact a murderous revenge on someone who beat you but had no desire to kill you? Do you have such a little regard for human life that you will kill people just to prove that you are the best? She pointed her finger at Kenshin's corpse her eyes belying the emotions that were running through her. "Look at him! Just look at him! He had so much in store for him but you had to end it for him. Why, tell me why! May he be the last image in your mind as you go to sleep at night and be the first vision in your head when you wake up each day! My Kenshin is gone because of you. And me and so many others will mourn his death. Life will never be the same because I loved him and when you killed him, you killed a part of me." Kaoru sank to her knees unable bear the emotions that were threatening to overwhelm her. Shuura looked on at her for once in her life feeling emotions unknown to her- shame and regret.

* * *

A/N 

Well how was it? Reviews please and thank you for that's what motivates me. More to come and I will update soon hopefully.


	4. Tomoe at the Heavenly Gates

_Disclaimer: Insert disclaimer here. I just don't feel like stating the obvious today._

"" dialogue

'' thoughts

* * *

Part Two- Tomoe at the Heavenly Gates

* * *

After all that has been done

After all that has been said

It is fitting that I now lie dead

I'm gone from my family, my loved ones, and my friends

I'm taken from my love after she had seen my wrongful end

After all my suffering, grief, misery, and strife

Fate has decided to cut the strings that have given me life

But I have a never dying hope in the depths of my soul

A positive conviction that is keeping me sane and whole

Dear Beloved on a day not too far away

We'll meet up and then everything will turn out okay

* * *

Kenshin overslept. He knew he should be outside helping Yahiko with the chores or at least making breakfast for everyone. 'But right now all I want to do is enjoy the peaceful sounds of morning life flowing around me.' he thought quietly to himself.

Kenshin sighed and sat up. He didn't want to see an upset Kaoru-dono barging in here yelling and swinging her bokken around. He chuckled softly to himself. He could just envision the scene.

Something wasn't right. Kenshin looked around only to encounter a great expanse of clouds and sky. 'This couldn't be the Kamiya Dojo. This couldn't be Tokyo much less Japan. In fact I'm feeling a little doubtful that I'm still on Earth.' He shook his head trying to see if he was just dreaming it all. If this is a dream then it's a pleasant change from his usually dreaming about his dark past. But unfortunately this is all real. "If this isn't a dream and if I'm not in Tokyo, then where exactly am I?" Kenshin voiced out loud.

He saw something flying towards him in the distance. It was too big to be a bird so then what…? 'No it couldn't be.' he thought to himself. He rubbed his eyes thinking he was just seeing things. But the object was still steadily coming towards him. It was an…it was an…angel? The angel gently settled beside him on a nearby cloud. Getting a clear look at the ethereal figure beside him he couldn't help but gasp out loud. "Tomoe?" He spoke aloud more to himself than to his dead wife seated beside him.

She looked the same as ever and still as lovely. But she seemed to be glowing with heavenly goodness and warmth. She was wearing an off the shoulder kimono that was the color of sun bleached pearls. It was laced with thin gold thread forming the shapes of leaves and flowers. An off white lace completed the outfit acting as her obi. She looked angelic and very sophisticated.

Kenshin shook his head and shut his eyes in deep concentration. 'How could this be? Tomoe is dead. But if this isn't a dream and that is really Tomoe, then I must be…' Kenshin's eyes shot open, realization finally sinking in. 'Then I must be dead.' He looked questionably at Tomoe. She just smiled and nodded, knowing his question without him having to voice it.

His eyes suddenly widened as the temporarily forgotten memories came flooding back- his unavoidable fight with Shuura, him turning Battousai, his defeat, and Kaoru crying over his dying body. That last memory was the most painful one for him. He never wished to see Kaoru unhappy and it was even more hurting for him because he was the cause of her unhappiness.

Tomoe abruptly pulled him from his thoughts and memories. "So you must be Himura Kenshin." She stated matter of factly. She was talking to him as if he was a stranger and not her late husband that accidentally slayed her.

"Tomoe, don't you remember me?" He asked her wonderly.

She sadly shook her head. "No, I don't." She explained. "All angels have their memories erased in order to serve heaven better and to be happy and at peace."

"Tomoe I…" he spoke torturedly unable to finish his flow of thought. He just couldn't comprehend that she wasn't able to remember anything that happened to her, anything that happened to them. 'Well whatever happens I will not let them erase my memories good or bad, I value them too much.' The fact in itself that he was considered good enough to enter Heaven with his record surprised him. 'I guess Kami-sama is more forgiving than I thought.'

Tomoe interrupted Kenshin's musings once again by subtly clearing her throat. "You're death was highly unexpected so the great archangel himself wants to speak to you in person." She paused to look at Kenshin. He was dirtied and bloodstained and his clothing was all patched up but still in dire need of more mending.

Kenshin noticed his appearance as soon as Tomoe did. He smiled meekly at her falling back into his Rurouni mode. "I guess Sessha's in bit of a mess, de gazaro yo?"

She sniffed at him and answered dryly, "A bit of a miss doesn't even begin to describe the condition you are in." Kenshin's usual façade faltered a little. Tome sighed and went on in a softer tone. "Ah well, no matter. I brought you a clean batch of clothes to wear but unfortunately, you don't have time to freshen up." She tossed him his new clothes and turned her back at him. "As soon as you're done changing we can be on our way."

"So soon?" He couldn't help asking. He just got here and he's going to meet with the person no the angel or archangel to be more exact that will probably determine his fate in this matter. He couldn't help but feel a little flustered.

"No time like the present." Tomoe replied. "The Archangel doesn't like to be kept waiting you know."

Kenshin nodded in understanding and swiftly changed. The clothes fit him perfectly but hey, what should he expect? This is after all Heaven. The Gi was a beige color with silver and gold threads interwoven in it. It was accompanied with a matching Hakama that had patterns bordering on the hem. "I'm done." He called out to the angel.

She turned around and nodded in approval. "Now that's much better. We better be on our way because we're running late so come along. Now hold on to my waist and what ever you do don't let go." Once situated, Tomoe flew, yes flew him towards the archangel to have a little chat. Kenshin sighed and tried not to look down. 'If his death was unexpected then just maybe he wasn't meant to die and if that was true they might give him another chance at life, another chance at love.'

* * *

A/N

Well end of Chapter 2. Tell me how do you like it. Love it, hate it, don't really care about it, or what? I know it's a little short but it's my story so I can do what ever I want so there. Till next time and please don't forget to review.


	5. Women Troubles

Disclaimer: I own nothing not even a good comb. I bet Nobuhiro Watsuki has tons of combs from all the money he gets from being the owner of Rurouni Kenshin. Yep he's the one that owns Rurouni Kenshin not lil' ole me. I bet he combs Kenshin's hair all day. Do you notice that sometimes he really needs to have his hair combed? What I wouldn't give to comb his hair (sigh and wistful look). I should really stop rambling and let people see what they originally came to see… my story. So, uh yeah, here it is. .

A/N

The poems at the beginning of my chapters are all mine unless stated otherwise. Yes you have an amateur poet in your midst so GET OVER IT! LOL

* * *

Part Three- Women Troubles

* * *

They beat me, harass me, and abuse me like a rag

But life without them would be such a drag

Don't bother delving into a woman's mind

For the consequences won't fear so kind

Don't attempt to figure out how they think

Because they'll deck you before you can even blink

Understanding a woman's mind, man don't even try

A friend of mine did it and his brain started to fry

Women, can't live with them

Women, can't live without them

Sometimes I wonder why I even bother putting up with em'

But they start to grow on you whether you like it or not

But be careful around them because they'll hit you with everything they got

Ah women!

* * *

"Sano, I'm worried about Kaoru," confessed a distressed Megumi to Sano over lunch at the Akabeko.

"Why? She seems fine to me." Sano questioned.

Megumi looked at him in disbelief, "Why? Why? Sano no baka. When I accuse you for being a stupid chicken head I don't actually expect you to play the part. The only time she goes out is to buy groceries. She's overworking herself to an early grave and she hardly yells or beats up Yahiko like she use to when he's acting well… like Yahiko." Her face took on a more somber appearance as she went on. "And what's more," she lowered her voice so low that Sano had to lean in to hear her, "just last week I went up to check up on her and I saw her mending Kenshin's clothes and doing his laundry." Her face took on a defeated look. "I tried to get through to her every way that I can but I just can't seem to reach her."

Sano looked up from his food and frowned. "Well that's just not healthy." He declared. "If she's unable to make Yahiko miserable then you know that there's something wrong." He sighed and slowly shook his head but then looked at Megumi with a fire alight in his eyes. "Ah well, no worries. All I have to do is to knock some sense into her."

"I tried that, Sano." Megumi replied sadly. "Kaoru's like a little sister to me and I just don't want to lose her. I don't know about you but one death is enough for me if not too much." Megumi raised her head to see Sano had already finished his meal and was getting ready to leave. "And where exactly do you think you're going?" She demanded.

Sano looked at Megumi as if she was a little slow. "Why to go talk to Kaoru, of course." He answered making it seem that it was obvious.

Megumi looked at him astounded. "Haven't you been listening to anything I've been saying? I said that I tried that already numerous times in fact but it just didn't work."

Sano looked at her with a playful smile gracing his features, "I'm sorry, what were you saying? I just wasn't listening."

Megumi's eyebrow twitched as she struggled to not lose her temper in front of this chicken head. "Aren't you even going to pay for lunch?" She questioned planning to ignore his last statements. 'He's just doing this because he knows how much he irks you.'

He gave her his ever famous lopsided grin. "Sorry Kitsune, but I have an important meeting with Jou-chan you know." He glanced at her slyly, "Can't you pay for it? I mean it's not like it was a date or anything."

Her patience was running low, "First of all, stop calling me Kitsune. How would you like it if I called you Tori –atama?"

"Well in truth, you do call me Tori-atama. But since you're the one calling me that I really don't mind." Sano looked at Megumi suggestively grinning at her like an idiot.

"Men," Megumi muttered under her breath his attitude aggravating her to no limits. "Second of all," she continued, "You were the one who asked me to eat with you in the first place. All I have to say is that this is the last time I go somewhere with you and in public too, how embarrassing!"

Sano laughed good-naturedly. "Reality check Megumi, this is the _firs_t time you ever went somewhere with me, public or otherwise."

She just stared at him coldly reminding him of what some people called her- the Ice Queen. "You just reminded me why that's so."

"That's what I'm here for. Seeya, fox lady." Sano left whistling outside the door with a devilish humor glinting in his eyes.

Megumi was left fuming about the downside of men Sano in particular and the thought of paying the bill that a waitress tentatively handed to her. 'Onore!'

Then something hit her. Sano was going the opposite direction from the Kamiya Dojo. All that was where he was going was only…gambling houses and bars. "Once I get him I'll beat out every inch of his life that good for nothing Tori-atama!" she shouted in the restaurant her anger at a certain baka getting the best of her.

* * *

It was almost dinnertime and Yahiko still hasn't come back with the tofu yet. He's been gone for over an hour and that's plenty enough time to go buy what they need and come back. Knowing him, he's probably gotten himself into some unwanted trouble. Well if he's not back in fifteen minutes she'll go and look for him. Kaoru grumbled to herself, 'If I wanted something done right, I should've done it myself.'

Just before she was about to go track him down, a voice hailed her down before she could leave. "Kaoru, we're back." Yahiko called out to her from the entrance.

'We, who's we?' she thought. But sure enough accompanying Yahiko with his bucket of tofu (thank goodness) was… Sano? She ran out to greet them both. "Sano what are you doing here?" Exclaimed Kaoru her surprise overriding her politeness.

He looked down at her short frame and just flashed her his trademark smile, "Hi to you too, Jou-chan. What, am I not allowed to be here? I saw Yahiko in town and he insisted that I come down here so…"

Yahiko cut him off by knocking him on the head with the tofu bucket he still carried, "That's a lie chicken head and you know it. You invited yourself here like always you lazy freeloader."

Sano awkwardly scratched his head caught in his lie. "Yeah, what of it Yahiko-chan? I'm here aren't I? I just wanted to make sure I remember how to get here because it's been ages since I graced you guys with my presence."

Yahiko's face contorted in barely controlled rage as he heard Sano call him little yet again. "Well all you have to do is follow the burnt food smell. You better stop calling me chan Tori-atama."

Kaoru quickly ignored the snide remark about her cooking and intervened as peacemaker to try to stop the predictable from happening. "Well we're both glad you came. Come on in Sano and don't be a stranger."

"Well you two catch up for as long as you want," Yahiko informed both of them, "I'll be at the Akabeko getting some decent food." He dropped the tofu, bucket and all and ran off.

"Hey what do you mean by decent food?" Kaoru called out to him. "Well whatever you do, don't fill yourself up. You still have to eat my food."

Yahiko turned around and told her tauntingly, "I can only stomach decent, nontoxic, edible food. Your unidentifiable slop is so bad that people use it for fertilizer and even pigs turn it down." Knowing better than to stick around, he quickly fled down the road to avoid her anger.

"Why you little …"Kaoru picked up a small fallen tree branch and flung it in Yahiko's direction, but he was yards away so unfortunately for her she was unable to get him. She let an exasperated sigh escape her lips at this minor failer. She breathed out a disconnected huff turned on her heels and stomped back into the dojo muttering death oaths about an annoying brat along the way.

Sano quirked a smile to himself, 'Well that's one thing Megumi was wrong about.' He thought to himself. 'Kaoru still tries to beat up Yahiko to a pulp, but either he's getting smarter or she's just losing her touch.' He bent to picked up the forgotten tofu and hurried after Kaoru not wanting to be left out all alone.

"Are you expecting company?" Sano asked glancing at the dining table set for four people.

Kaoru relieved him of his burden and set it down in the kitchen. "Yahiko invited Tsubame to eat dinner with us. He says that if Tsubame experiences what he has to eat three times a day she might feel sorry for him and give him some free food. Mou, he's such a twerp!"

Sano grinned and shook his head in amusement, "That sounds like Yahiko alright. That explains the three placemats but what about the fourth one?"

Kaoru turned to look at the table confused, "What fourth… oh. I guess I'm so used to setting one for…" she stopped in mid-sentence and just shrugged. "It's a habit I guess." She made a move as if to fix the table to how it was suppose to be.

"Wait," said Sano, "since I'm here I might as well stay for dinner. You know I'm never one to pass up a free meal. Besides, I'll rather face your food than Megumi's wrath."

"Hey what's that suppose to mean? Did you and Megumi get into another fight again?"

"Um not really, but either way I think it'd be smarter to wait until she cools down before I go see her again." Sano quickly changed the subject, "Hey Jou-chan, let me help you cook. After all, you don't want Yahiko to be right about your inability to cook now do you?"

"No of course not," claimed Kaoru. She smiled sweetly while her right hand reached for a nearby frying pan.

Moments later Sano was helping Kaoru make miso soup with a couple of conspicuous bumps on his head that were partially hidden by his spiky hairdo. He glanced over to Kaoru who was innocently softening the tofu while quietly humming to herself. 'Sheesh,' he thought, 'why are women always so damn temperamental?'

* * *

A/N

Well come-on people what are you waiting for, an engraved invitation? Review and tell me how you like it. It came out longer than I expected and the tone was lighter too. I'm going down south for a week or so for Independence Day (Fourth of July for all you knuckle heads) so I won't be able to update anytime soon. Well I'll try to make it up to you later, okay? Ja ne .

VOC.

Mou- statement of exasperation used by Kaoru

Onore- an insult like kisama only more insulting

Special Thanks To…

Haru- gasp you're back! Thanks for being a returning reviewer and hopefully you'll stick around for the end.

Steeple333- Wow I made you cry; now I think I'm going to cry too (TT). I'll try to update soon.

Daughter of Magic- I feel honored thanks for adding me to your favorites. I'm really glad that you like my poems. I'm a poet and I didn't even know it. Lame I know but give me a break I'm a starving poet and author.


	6. The Offer

Disclaimer: People, people, people when will you ever learn? Have you ever heard of any manga writers that publish their own fanfic for a local website? Well if you have, please inform me. I repeat yet again I do not under any pretense own Rurouni Kenshin.

A/N

I just got back from my Fourth of July vacation. I burnt my hand trying to light a firecracker and I swear that they are the root of all evil that and seemingly possessed children, don't ask. Sorry if this is late. Would you believe that someone broke into my house to just delete my story that I painstakingly worked on? No, well it was worth a try. Not wanting to delay my eager viewers any longer here is my fic. Enjoy!!!

* * *

Part Four- The Offer

* * *

Dare I hope  
Dare I pray  
Dare I believe that everything will go in my way  
Will I be given a second chance  
At love and romance  
I have slain many and saved a few  
Now the decision is all yours  
The outcome up to you  
But before you make your choice  
Listen to that little inner voice  
For this is not for me you see  
But for my beloved dearie  
I have left her there on Earth  
And she is now missing me for all that I am worth  
So please don't be judgmental and tough  
But just try to be fair enough

* * *

They have finally arrived. It is one thing to say that you're going to meet the archangel and quite another thing to actually meeting him or her. Tomoe did not divulge any information to calm his fraying nerves so Kenshin really didn't really know what to expect, but when he was finally face to face with the angel the encounter wasn't anything like what he was anticipating.

He couldn't quite get a good look at the archangel at first due to the fact that he was shrouded in a type of blinding white light. It was as if he was looking directly into the sun. Kenshin shielded his eyes as he waited for the intense blaze to die down. When he was finally able to see he couldn't quite believe his eyes. The so- called archangel was just a little boy who looked slightly younger than Yahiko at least when he died.

"Hello call me Gabe," the angel introduced, "Gabriel is just too formal you know. You must be Himura Kenshin or shall I say Shinta as you were known earlier in life."

Kenshin looked down on the little angel flabbergasted, "Kenshin is just fine. I'm not trying to be rude or anything but are you the archangel I was sent to meet?"

Gabe quirked an eyebrow at the expression on Kenshin's face, "Yes, who else do you expect me to be?"

Kenshin's face reddened in embarrassment, "Wow this is awkward. I just um, expected you..."

"To be a little older, perhaps?" Gabe finished for him. Kenshin just nodded his head in agreement. "Don't feel embarrassed I get that a lot. I may look young to you, Himura-san but I assure you my knowledge goes unrivaled. Well, now that the pleasantries are out of the way let's get down to business." Gabe's manner turned serious and professional. "I was just reviewing the information about your death before you showed up." Kenshin just then noticed a folder with his name on it that was in the angel's possession. 'I'm not sure but I don't think that he had it on him when I arrived.' Gabe's voice brought him back to reality, " ... has been labeled a special case. The truth of the matter is that you weren't even supposed to die. I understand that you saved Kaoru by taking her place, but the fact is that she would've been safe even if you haven't traded places with her." He clarified more after seeing the shock and confusion glance off of Kenshin's face, "Shuura and her bandits would've dumped Kaoru in a small raft a few miles from the ship," He explained.

Disbelief and astonishment flitted across Kenshin's eyes. "So are you saying that my death was a complete and utter waste of time?" he questioned.

"Well it depends on how you look at it." Was his unclear reply. "You didn't need to put yourself in danger and risk your life but on the other hand you finally admitted your love to Kaoru and wouldn't you want to die with her knowing that you had loved her for the longest rather that live and have her stay in the dark thinking that her feelings weren't returned?"

"I was fine just the way things were going." Kenshin answered even thought his heart and his entire being was saying otherwise.

"Lying is considered a sin here." Gabe smiled in dry amusement, "Denial just doesn't suit you, you know."

"Wait, are you saying that Kaoru loved me too?" Kenshin suddenly asked.

"Are you saying that you didn't know?" Gabe flung back at him. Kenshin's silence answered the question. "No offense but I really can't believe how slow you can sometimes be."

Kenshin decided to ignore that comment ecstatic that the woman he's been secretly pining over that past few months felt that same way. All of a sudden an idea popped into Kenshin's head and he hesitantly voiced it; fearful of how it will be met out. "Do you think that since my death wasn't really necessary I may be able to have a second chance?" he asked tentatively.

Gabe smiled sympathetic at Kenshin's feeling of awkward self-consciousness, "I don't see why not if you really want it that is."

Kenshin looked down at the small angel hope evident in his eyes, "I do, I really do." He declared a little too eagerly.

Gabe's next words quickly broke his bubble, "The downside of it is that you won't have your original body."

Kenshin wasn't sure he heard right, "What do you mean I won't have my original body?" He asked cautiously not sure he wanted to hear the answer.

"Transporting your soul to your original body would be a resurrection and I'm not accomplished enough to do that yet. If I transport you to a body that is devoid of another soul that would be labeled under a reincarnation and it's tremendously hard to reincarnate someone into a fully grown body after all I'm not God." He looked at Kenshin's blank look, "Inside joke, I don't expect you to get that."

A sweat drop formed on the side of Kenshin's head at the angel's weak attempt at humor. "If I can't have my original body and having a new body vacant of another soul is out of the question then what other options are there?" He questioned.

A genuine grin appeared on the archangel's face. "It's really quite simple. All I have to do is transfer your soul into a body that is already occupied with another soul."

"Excuse me?" Kenshin asked politely thinking he was either going deaf or Gabe finally lost it, "Am I hearing right?"

"If you heard about me transferring you to an already occupied body then you heard correctly." Gabe informed him amused at Kenshin's expression.

This angel never ceased to surprise him, "And how exactly do you expect to go about it and do you have any people available right now?" Kenshin challenged him.

The angel sighed before explaining, "The whole procedure is somewhat tedious. I have to see that your vessel's ki is fairly similar to yours, that their spirit energy wavelength is synchronize with yours at the time of joining, and that you have a tight bond with them. I just can't pick anyone off the streets you know. To put it plainly, you have to have known them for them to even be considered." He waited for it to all sink in before continuing. "I have at this moment three people who meet all these standards and you of course know them all personally: Sagara Sanosuke or Zanza, Seijurou Hiko, and Hajime Saitoh but known to the public as Fujita Goro."

Kenshin choked upon hearing the last name, "Sano I understand. Shishou I can comprehend to some extent but do you expect me to have a bond with Saitoh."

"Yes believe it or not Saitoh-san and you have a bond. It may not be a bond as pleasant as Sano or even Hiko's but it's a bond nevertheless. Why don't you sleep on it before you give me your decision? In two months time I should be ready for your choice and be prepared enough to go through with it."

Kenshin bowed his head respectively, "Thank you for providing me with this opportunity, I am much obliged to you."

Gabe stood on his tip toes to lift up Kenshin's chin. "Don't be; let's just say that this is my gift of thanks to you. After all the atonement you did for the last ten years the least I can do is give you a second chance at life." Gabe smiled up at Kenshin earning one from him in return, "It was a pleasure meeting you but unfortunately I have some business to attend to." With that being said he faded right before the astonished Rurouni's eyes and soon was gone.

Tomoe who was momentarily forgotten by Kenshin fluttered to his side, "Teleportation," she briefly answered his unasked question, "Only really talented angels can do that. Unfortunately I'm not skilled enough yet." She suddenly pulled earnestly on Kenshin's arm, "Come on, "she cajoled, "I'm hungry and I bet you're hungry too because you haven't eaten since you woke up. Lucky for us I know a good place within walking distance from here so follow me. "

Kenshin let himself be dragged by the celestial figure before him. His mind soon wandered away from thoughts of food. 'Don't worry Kaoru, I'll keep my promise. We're going to see each other sooner that any of us thought. But right now I hope you're keeping your promise to me about being happy. Even death cannot keep us apart Kaoru this is proof enough of that.'

* * *

A/N

Yayness, two new reviewers! Sorry it took long to update stuff came up you know, the stuff ultimately being me being too lazy and my tendency to procrastinate. I not too sure of the plot right now so suggestions are more than welcome. Till next time. ?

Donna8157- I'll try but I can't promise you anything. I'm glad you think so and I will enjoy hearing from you in the future.

Hecate- ¿ Um a little eccentric aren't we? All I have to say is, I'm not telling naa naa na naa na. lol o. Suggestions are certainty welcome because I really don't know what direction to take. sigh So much creativity and just one story to put it all in can drive a body crazy you know. Keep reading and I'll keep writing.


	7. Facing the Facts

_Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin and I will warn you beforehand that if you sue me the most you can squeeze out of me is an I.O.U slip as in I owe you nothing because Rurouni Kenshin isn't mine. Now on with the story!_

A/N

Sorry if this is late. I was having computer problems and I had to start this chapter all over from scratch because my so called computer deleted the one I worked on. On top of that when I finally got up to uploading my new redone chapter, screwed up my format and then when I finally fixed that; the stupid website was overloaded so I had to wait a whole day. Technology has it out for me, I swear. So to make it all up to you guys, I made this chapter extra long. The things I do for reviews. I should probably stop ranting in these authoress notes because I doubt anybody even reads them. To let you all know it has been about a month and a half since Kenshin's chat with the archangel so just keep that in mind when reading this. I decided to put my vocabulary at the top to make it easier. I apologize beforehand if any of the characters are OOC somewhat but I retyped this purely on coffee, sugar, and loud music.

Voc…

Onegai- please

Kami-sama- God, Lord ( kami also means paper but not in the context i will use it in)

Kabuki- Japanese theatre

* * *

Part Five- Facing the Facts

* * *

My excuses are lame

I have only myself to blame

And now all I feel is intense pain

I went so far living on a lie

Because if I accepted the truth I knew I would break down and cry

I'm in need of sanctuary, happiness, and release

In dire want of my crying heart to find peace

I have no desire to cry or weep

For my pain is too immense and runs too deep

I haven't the will to do anything

For the loss of a love is a terrible thing

I have no wish to pray or curse

They lie who say that death is worse

* * *

"Boy am I stuffed." Yahiko exclaimed.

"Well you should be." Sano said to him, "You ate most of the food and didn't even leave a good amount for the rest of us."

"Well can you blame me?" Yahiko questioned. "I mean it's not everyday that there's edible food in this dojo. But I bet you did all the cooking right Sano, because it's a well known fact that buso here can't even cook without some people getting food poisoning."

Kaoru glared at him, "Yahiko," she said politely while suppressing the urge to strangle him, "in respect of our guests here I'll restrain from my need to murderize you until after they leave."

"Oh don't worry about us Jou-chan," Sano reassured Kaoru, "I'm used to it and I'm sure that Tsubame is too, after all since she hangs out with Yahiko most of the time she should realize that he has a tendency for bringing out the worst in people."

"You know Kaoru," Yahiko said ignoring Sano's snide remark, "I'm thinking of reporting you to Child Services. Threatening to murder me and the onslaught of the toxic waste you make that you consider food cannot be a good growing environment for me. But what I'm most concerned about is that your ugliness might be contagious because I'm sure that you couldn't have been born with that face of yours. If you were then I am positive that the doctors would have made you live with a paper bag over your head so as not to scare away small children."

Kaoru choked on the rice ball she was munching on. "All right that's it, Yahiko." She yelled at him. "Forget the guests I think I'll just go ahead and kill you now." With that said she got up and attempted to make a grab at him.

Yahiko stumbled out of his seat trying to get away from the bokken that Kaoru always had by her. "Hey, I was just playing around." He said desperately. "What's with you, can't you take a joke?" He barely dodged the hit she swung at him with her bokken, "I'll take that as a no." He was running out of room to go. "Okay, okay I'm sorry. There, are you satisfied?" He apologized crudely fed up with how things were turning out.

"Don't try to play nice with me, Yahiko. It won't do you any good." She charged at him her anger renewed.

He glanced back and noticed that behind his enraged sensei was Tsubame trying to hold her back while pleading for Kaoru to stop and calm down. 'Well, a lot of help that'll do.' He thought sarcastically to himself. Wishing he had his own bokken to give Kaoru a taste of her own medicine, he dodged yet another pass she made at him that was just a little too close for comfort. "Look I said I was sorry, what more can you possibly want?" he demanded his patience running thin. It seems that saying that only aggravated Kaoru more and she proceeded onward with a frightened Tsubame in tow.

Yahiko proved to be too slow when Kaoru demonstrated another attack on him. He yelped rubbing the sore spot on his head trying to rid himself of the pain. "What the hell was that for?" He shouted looking up at her. He tried to back away when he saw the wicked gleam in her eyes, but he was backed into a corner. When he saw the smile on Kaoru's face he knew it was all over for him. Four more hits came raining down on him. He tenderly fingered the wounds adorning his head. He then saw an escape and went for it slipping between Kaoru' legs and glaring at her accusingly once out of her reach, 'Does she want him to get brain damage or something?' he wondered to himself.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Kaoru aim her bokken at him. "Won't she just give it up?" He voiced out loud to no one in particular. He side stepped her attack in time and sped out of the door grabbing Tsubame on the way, "I'm leaving this madhouse for now to find some sane people." He yelled over his shoulder.

Kaoru was looking pretty dangerous right about now. She glared at the shut shoji door thinking of all the terrible things she should've done to Yahiko when she had the chance. "Sometimes he just goes a little too far. He just doesn't know when to keep his big mouth shut, the little brat." She grumbled to herself. "The bad part is that he got away from me twice in one day. That annoying little twerp, when he comes back I am so going to…" the rest of the words were inaudible as she allowed herself to dwell on the thought of torturing Yahiko further on his return to the dojo.

Sanosuke during all the commotion was sitting back drinking his tea and reminiscing. 'Just like the good old times.' he thought fondly to himself. 'You can always count on Kaoru to lose it. With entertainment like this, who needs the kabuki?' Ah, how he missed this.

"Hey missy," he called out to her, "come have some tea with me." For a second there he was fearful that she would go and track down Yahiko in town. 'You can't get away with murder if there are witnesses.' he reasoned to himself, 'And in a public place too, that's just asking for trouble.' He grinned at her as she walked towards him still tightly grasping her bokken. He gently pried it from her fingers to replace it with some soothing green tea. 'Yeah, just like the good old times.' He thought before starting some small talk with Kaoru in an effort to calm her down.

"Enlighten me, why do you want me to go out walking with you this late?" Kaoru asked Sano who was strolling beside her.

Sano glanced around him taking in the view. "Missy, haven't you been out lately? Everyone knows that the best time to enjoy scenery is at night." He glanced over to the person walking beside him, "Everyone except you it seems."

"I never took you for being a nature person, Sano." Kaoru stated.

"Well I am and there's probably a lot of different stuff about me that you don't know about." He replied. "And now is a good time as any to catch up and find out other things about me. It's been forever since I've seen you."

"Well, okay, it has been forever hasn't it?" she questioned.

"Yeah it has." He agreed.

Kaoru sighed contently, "Well it's also been forever since I been out to just enjoy the little things. Lately I just don't have the time being so busy and all."

"Kaoru," Sano commented, "you had the time to do it before and when you have your whole life ahead of you, there's always time." She just smiled at him sadly as if remembering…something, remembering… someone, remembering… Kenshin.

Sano sighed not wishing to be the one to shatter the dream world she has erected. The dream world where Kenshin wasn't cut down right before her eyes and where pain and sorrow doesn't exist because she never lost somebody that she held close to her heart and loved. Sometimes he wished he could be included in this world or that the past events never even happened. He can't help feeling at times that it was his fault. If he only didn't suggest that they find some jobs then they'll never have ended up in that cursed boat that was to be attacked by pirates. But thinking of 'if onlys' never got anyone anywhere, and it only leaves you with regrets and sadness.

He stopped his musings to bring Kaoru to reality. He tried to convince himself that she'll thank him later and it's all for the best. Yet he couldn't help feeling a tiny bit of foreboding and doubts enter into his thoughts.

"Kaoru," he calmly told her as if speaking of the weather and other nonsense, "it's your own fault that you're so busy and it's not necessary and you know what, it's just plain unhealthy."

Kaoru glanced sharply at him, "I don't know what you're talking about." She said guardingly.

Hearing that only irritated Sano. He stopped in his tracks and spun around to face Kaoru. Not looking where she was going, Kaoru slammed into him and fell. He just glared down at her his patience gone. "Come off it, Kaoru." he said hotly, "Stop trying to pull the wool over my eyes. It's not working." He stopped talking to rein in his emotions and to help Kaoru up. "Jou-chan," he went on in a more gentle tone, "ever since we came back you haven't talked to anyone about Kenshin's death and you closed yourself from the rest of the world. You acted as if nothing happened and that worries me and everyone else who cares for you."

Kaoru flinched at sound of Kenshin's name. 'Does it still hurt after all this time?' Sano wondered. His eyes softened considerably and his voice filled up with compassion. "Ever since his funeral which you failed to show up at, you've busied yourself immensely as if to shy away from the truth; the reality and not think about it." Kaoru opened her mouth to voice an objection to that. He interrupted her before she got a chance to speak, "before you tell me any of your lame brain excuses, here me out."

He faced away from her not wanting to see her face when he laid it down hard on her. 'The truth hurts.' He reasoned to himself. "I want you to realize that Kenshin is dead he isn't coming back and that you need to realize this and move on. I don't want you to act as if he never existed and that he had no affect on your life because denial isn't favorable trait in a woman. It's been a month and a half already and I believe that that was time enough to get use to the reality and try to move on with your life."

He turned around to face her with his eyes averted from her face; he was still not ready to see the expression there. "I could understand if you wallowed in depression for a bit but you didn't you just shoved away your true feelings while putting up a cherry front for all to see and that concerns me. So stop this act and just face the truth like the rest of us have." He lifted up his face to only see Kaoru start to walk away from him.

"Kaoru," he called out to her startled at her reaction. She stopped and turned around to face him. Her face was streaked with tears and her body was shaking struggling to keep the rest from falling.

Sano tried to swallow but his throat was too choked up from the emotions he was feeling. He said her name again his voiced laced with sympathy and worry. He tried to close the distance between them but she held up her hand, stopping him.

Kaoru took a step back and shook her head fiercely. "No, please don't." she implored chokingly. "Don't come any closer, onegai?" She gave him a weak smile in an attempt to reassure him through her grief. "I'm okay, Sano. Really, I am. I just need to be alone for right now. Can you just grant that one favor?" she pleaded.

Sano nodded numbly unsure of what to do or say. 'If only I had a way to ease your pain. If only Kenshin was here so that everything will be as it should. I sometimes imagine that this is all a nightmare that we will wake up from. I go into town thinking that I would see Kenshin's thatch of red hair bobbing around the market with his goofy smile he always has plastered across his face. I sometimes whether I realize it or not look for Kenshin in his pink getup when I go out. But as I stand here in the chilly night I know that this is reality; that this is life. A life and reality without Kenshin who was like family to me and to the rest of us. I wonder why the Fates have played such a cruel trick on us. Death may be hard on the dying but it is worse for the living. It is worse for the people left behind with the memories of the ones lost to us.' Sano smiled to himself. He never was one prone to spit out philosophical crap like this. But hey as they say times change people change and that must apply to him too.

Kaoru's melancholy voice pulled him from his mind's thoughts. "Sano, I want to thank you for opening up my eyes and for making me face the facts. And you're right, the night is the perfect time to view scenery so I think I just go for a little night stroll to do just that. But don't worry I'll be careful." She turned and left walking right pass Sano. All she had to guide her through the well worn trail were the fireflies that flickered through the darkness around her.

Sano sighed wearily his heart feeling tired and heavy. The silence pressed around him, suffocating him. Sano voiced out his thoughts to the night hopeful that in doing so he may see a way out of this mess, "Jou-chan, don't thank me for I don't deserve it. I'm the one who forced you to face the cold harsh reality and in the process I reopened the pain that you locked away. Now why in the world would you want to thank me for that?"

Looking at Kaoru's retreating figure until it was swallowed up by the night; Sano began to once again doubt his motives. Maybe this new Kaoru will be just as bad as the old one if not worse. "Oh God," he moaned. "I need a drink." With that idea in mind, he trudged off to the nearest bar or gambling house; whichever came first it didn't really matter to him. He just hoped that he'll forget this moment, this moment where he opened wounds Kaoru didn't even she had and then rubbed salt deep into them. It seems to him that he had hit rock bottom and then started digging just for the thrill of it. As he walked into town every time he shut his eyes Kaoru's receding image flickered through his eyes and when the wind danced around him he mistook it for the melancholy of her voice whispering in his ears. "Kami-sama," he moaned, "what have I done?"

* * *

A/N

Well… how was it? Reviews, pretty please with cherries on top and ice cream on bottom. I changed the format because when I read my story on the net it gave me a headache. I'm thinking of changing the title. Suggestions for the new one are certainly welcome. Okay listen up I need responses on who Kenshin should come back as. Should it be any of the three I put in my previous chapter, someone else like OC or someone from the anime/manga or should Kenshin come in his own body? I won't update until some people reply. And no that's not a threat, that's a promise. Oh before I continue my story check out this website for some side info it's not necessary but I highly recommend it. Don't be put off by the name and just check it out, ja 

Response…

Hecate

Extensive review, huh? Thanks a bunch. Yeah, don't you just hate it when you review stories with reviews that are like pretty long and don't get a single recognition? Not like that has ever happened to me of course, hehehe ˆˆ¿. I really liked your previous suggestion and I changed my story a bit to fit it in with my last chapter 'The Offer'. I'll try to fit Yahiko in more I like him too. He's so kawaii (cute, adorable, etc…). I just don't want him to be too out of character. That's the problem with writing chapter fics, it's a struggle to keep the characters in character, you know?

Kiki

I'm glad you like my poems and my story. And yeah If it was up to me I would make Kaoru and Kenshin become joined at the hip or something just to make sure that they'll be together for ever and ever and ever and…well you get the idea. But you know true love is prone to have its obstacles and if K&K didn't have theirs there wouldn't be so many stories about them and the anime/manga wouldn't be as enjoyable.

Nicky

Thanks, thanks, and thanks. Everything will probably turn out for the best. And there will be a great, big, sappy, waffy, happy ending… _or not. _I don't quite have the plot down yet. Suggestions are welcome if you have any.


	8. Coping With the Loss

Disclaimer: I don't feel like posting one today. Just look at my previous ones or better yet look at all the other stories that are associated with RK. I bet they have disclaimers too unless they enjoy getting sued.

A/N

Me again, well who do expect? After all I am the one who is writing this story. Did anyone check out the link from my previous chapter, ? I just got so sad from that story I had to cheer myself up and my faithful readers. I don't know if it cheered you up or simply annoyed you. I was feeling the latter, hence the website's name. I bet I sounded like some cheesy advertiser, huh? The chapters I uploaded to you people were all written and everything months before I even typed them up, and I just didn't feel up to showing them to the public until recently. But from these chapters hereon in are coming from the top of my head and since I'm coming down with mild writer's block, bear with me. I'm also running low on my creativity and I really need that to come up with my chapters _and _my poems. Does anyone happen to know where I can refuel? Oh question, do you guys like my poems and should I drop it because it's starting to become a struggle to think of them from the top of my head? You know what, forget about that question. I just have this tendency to be very vain and have this need to hear unneeded flattery. But that doesn't mean that you guys have to stop giving me unending words of encouragement and praise. So do go on with the reviews and I really mean it; do go on and on and on and on… Now that I'm done blabbing or typing my head off whichever; I really don't know, on with the story. I just want to thank everyone for humoring me. Oh and I also really want to thank Hecate for being my first ever Beta Reader. How I got this far without your superior knowledge I really don't know. :D

"" dialogue

'' thoughts

* * *

Part Six- Coping With the Loss

* * *

If I can survive through another day

Everything will be okay

The sun with turn out brighter

My smiles will come out wider

I will learn how to cope with my loss and with the pain

Because by grieving over it what do I have to gain

I know this ache I feel will never go away

But maybe just maybe it will fade a little day by day

I wonder where you are; do you ever think of me

I wonder where you are; do you ever look down to see me

I'm trying to cope without you by my side

But some days feel like I won't be able to get by

Life without you is just pure hell

And I regret that I wasn't able to tell…

To tell you how much I love you

That much is true

To say how much you mean to me

And that you filled my heart with such glee

But you'll never know

How much you set my soul aglow

You'll never realize

How much I miss your violet eyes

I miss your auburn hair

That I loved without a care

I miss your pleasant smile

That seems to stretch on for miles

But here's something new

Something we both unconsciously knew

That I would really, truly, deeply miss you

* * *

"It's fifteen yen for that ribbon, Miss." A polite salesman informed her.

Kaoru looked up from that said ribbon she was fondly fingering. "It's worth every cent." She said warmly as she handed over the correct amount of money. She looked down at the ribbon she just purchased. Nestled among the tissues that accompanied it; it gleamed silkily in the box it was lain in. It really was a pretty ribbon made of pure silk too; none of that cheap imitation material that she sometimes saw. It caught her eye right away. The color was a real oddity though; a deep crimson color interwoven with shimmering amber threads. Her throat constricted when she first saw it, but she just had to have it. She covered the box hiding the appealing ribbon from view and stashed it among all her other purchases before heading on her way.

This morning she haddecided to indulge herself and relax. She didn't have to teach Yahiko today because Tsubame asked if he could help her out at the Akabeko since some of the workers were unable to come in. She let him go because after all the hell she put him through yesterday, it was the least she could do. She was just so grateful to him she decided to pay him back in full for all the pleasant things he had said and done to her since she met him. The fact that this was also her way of getting revenge the night he brought Tsubsame over didn't even cross her mind. It surprised her that he was able to get up at all today. But hey, what should she expect, Yahiko was known for being stubborn (among many other things).

Today was officially Kaoru Day. 'And I definitely deserve it after all the stuff I have to live with, as well as putting up with my new surrogate family. Who would have thought that I would be friends with a retired pickpocket, an ex-opium-making doctor, and a gambling freeloader who use to be known as Zanza,fighter for hire? But I wouldn't trade them in for the world and stranger things are known to happen.'

Struggling along with her purchases, she regretted not asking Sano or Megumi to come along to help carry her things. This last week dojos all over the district had been asking her assistance to teach their students some of her fighting techniques. 'They probably couldn't resist my womanly charms,' Kaoru thought vainly. 'I really am too gorgeous for my own good.' After getting paid from all her hard, honest work; she had decided to splurge. She bought two new kimonos with all the required accessories, a box of ribbons, a new set of bokkens and shinais, and a new hakama and gi. She also bought a comb for Yahiko because his hair was starting to resemble Sano's. If people saw them together they might assume they were brothers and knowing them that would be like an insult and would probably result in immediate bloodshed.

Kaoru really didn't feel like going home just yet. Nobody was there and she didn't feel up to cooking. 'Maybe I should take some lessons from Tae-san. Learning some of her cooking techniques could bring out my true potential. That'll show them how much of a skilled cook I really am. It's not like I really need it of course but there's always room for improvement.'

Kaoru sighed knowing it was useless trying to fool herself. Years ago when she was younger, her mother tried to teach her how to cook so that hopefully one day the men in town might want her for a wife irregardless of the fact that she was known for being somewhat of a tomboy. After accidentally setting the kitchen on fire and burning some of their best pots and pans, her mother soon gave up on her. If you looked closely in the kitchen, you can notice that some of the flame marks are still there. Kaoru smiled to herself remembering that incident and now considering it a warm and humorous memory. After realizing her failures in the kitchen, she earnestly worked at her strengths rather then her weaknesses. Unfortunately her only known strength was her fighting skills, which dismayed her mother who thought that unbecoming of a young lady. Her father was delighted, though, because he could finally pass down his legacy of fighting to a younger generation. It was her eagerness for learning his fighting skills that made him build a dojo and become a martial arts teacher.

She was their only child. Her father wanted a child to teach the fighting style of the Kamiya Kashin Ryu to, while her mother wanted a girl. In the end, they both got their wish: a girl who was raised on the teachings of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu and who soon became the assistant master of the fighting technique that her father had created years ago.

Kaoru forced herself out of her memories finally realizing that she left the hustle and bustle of the town behind her. Glancing at her surroundings Kaoru tried to see if anything looked familiar to her. 'This part of the town must have been closed off for some reason because the only difference from this and the rest of the town is that there are no people.' Despite the fact that this place looked like it has been untouched for years, she couldn't help but feel that she had been here before. After some mindless wandering, Kaoru strode down yet another nameless road. Recognition of this street registered in her mind immediately.

Kaoru let her baggage fall noisily to the dirty ground. Bending down she dazedly pried a strip of cloth that was nestled among the debris of a nearby shattered vendor stall. "It was in this exact place that we first met." She spoke aloud. "Do you remember, Kenshin?" She questioned to the air around her still looking at the cloth in her hand in wonder. She looked up at the sky as if expecting to see his face among the clouds. "I know you can't really hear me but I just want to pretend for awhile. I haven't talked to anyone about this yet and I know that's unhealthy. So if you really are listening, humor me and lend an ear. I've been thinking of you quite a lot lately. I visit the places we use to go. I relive the memories we both shared. But it's not the same; it's not the same without you. But I'm trying, I really am. I didn't want to accept it at first; I couldn't admit to myself that you were truly gone. Because if I did then that would be it, and that this won't be some horrid dream that I would wake up from. So I denied everything. I denied that I missed you, I denied that I didn't feel okay, in fact I denied that I ever knew you." Kaoru paused struggling to not give into her newly found grief. "Sano, that tori-atama we all so dearly love, he helped me accept the truth however bluntly he worded it, he helped me nonetheless. When I came back home that night, I gathered up the courage and went into your room. I saw a picture of all of us posing in front of a camera. Do you remember it? That was when we all took the train for the first time. Sano was so scared. I had to bodily threaten him to take the picture with us because he was worried that it might steal his soul. But after seeing that picture, after seeing your face, I cried. I just broke down and cried. It came straight from my heart, my soul. I poured out all that I had been holding in. All my sorrow, anger, pain, regret, and loneliness were in it; everything. I fell asleep in your bed that night. It was the first night of sleep I had that wasn't plagued by your death." Kaoru smiled glad to have it all out. Glad to have the weight lifted from her. "I guess I just want to thank you. To thank you for being in my life no matter how short it was. I just want you to know that I'll be treasuring every moment we spent together and that I'll be waiting until we meet again so I can add to that collection. I want you to know that I love you and that I will always love you."

Kaoru cleaned up her face with the sleeve of her spring kimonoIt was glistening with unbidden tears that had fallen without her knowledge.Fixing herself up a bit by redoing her hair ribbon and adjusting her kimono and obi, she went on her way with her arms once again laden down with her packages. Against the last bright red rays of the setting sun that rivaled Kenshin's crimson hair, the strands of her own hair were caressed by the evening breeze. The only thing out of place was an odd looking makeshift ribbon. It was a strip of worn cloth, which looked as if it was raggedly ripped from an old gi. Imagine seeing a faded magenta color against the silky raven black of a young woman's tresses. It may have looked odd to other people but to Kaoru it just reminded her of fond memories and of adventures long gone.

* * *

A/N

Well it's a little short but I was trying to get this out to you before I start my classes again. It's not my best work but it'll have to do. Canada was great except for the part that I had to sit in a cramped up car for nine to eleven hours. I realized that the modern day torture chambers are family road trips. But I went to Niagara Falls and learned some French (I'm not allowed to say them due to censorship). But we go there once a year since we found out that our long-lost relatives live there and up there I feel sooo rich! Foreign currency is my friend :D! So review if you want. I really don't care (you know that I was kidding, right? I'm such an awful liar.) I was really thrilled to come back and find eight reviews waiting for me including a couple personal reviews from Hecate! I am soo loved. Keep up with the reviews and I might make my next chapter super _duper_ long. So onward with the recognitions.

Review Responses

Angry Bokken- I'll try not to do any cliffhangers but I can't guarantee you anything. I thank you for your input and any other suggestions are more than welcomed. Try to tone down the Star Wars dialect for me okay? I have a kid who I baby-sit practically everyday and he's going through that type of stage. If I never hear anything about Jar-Jar-Binks, using the _Force, _and stuff like that ever again;then I'll be able to live in peace. Keep up the reviews I can't wait to hear from you again. 

Leigh- It would be amusing to see Kenshin and Hiko share the same body wouldn't it? So you think Aoshi or Seta is best suited to host Kenshin's soul, huh? Well I'll put that into consideration when writing my chapters. Sano is probably too tall for Hiten Mitsurugi but so is Hiko at least compared to Kenshin but it would be interesting to see any of them team up with Kenshin. I really haven't decided yet, decisions aren't my strong suit so if you have any other options let me know. But don't you think anyone else besides Kenshin would look weird welding his Sakabatou and doing his techniques due to the fact that we're all so use to him doing it? Tune in for my other chapters to see how this story turns out.

Hecate- Well since you worded so eloquently for asking me to keep my Authoress Notes I am obligated to oblige. After all, I have to humor one of my favorite readers. I am glad you like my poems because I put so much work making them. Oh and thank you for all of those personal e-mails. I'm so glad that I have a beta- reader and it's you. I appreciate in advance for all your superior help in the fields of English and grammar. I'll try to finish reading all those stories you recommended but if this keeps up, I won't have time to update! That's a joke so don't go hysterical on me or anything. Kaoru can't really help being who she is and if she wasn't tormenting Yahiko on a daily business then people would wonder what was wrong with her. I like it how you continue to stand by your decision throughout the story and who knows, I just might take it to heart and use it. As for the cameo thing I don't see why not I have an idea for it but your character probably won't make an entrance until much later, so tune in for my upcoming chapters and you just might see your orig. character there. Oh and on a side note, I thank you for relaying to me all the information on the British world and their icons it was quite educating.

Ranma1517730129- I really don't know if your response was a flame or some harsh, constructive criticism but I appreciate you for reviewing just the same. I'm sorry about the grammar and spelling but hey, people do make mistakes if they didn't then we wouldn't be human. About the beta reader thing, someone suggested that they'll be mine and I just decided to take her up on the offer. So hopefully, the errors in my chapters won't be as bad as before because I absolutely suck at English due to the fact that I point blank just hate that subject and the teachers that teach me it aren't helping matters any. When I first started out with this story I didn't really compare it to Yu-Yu Hakuso but after I re-read it I guess I can kinda see it although I really didn't have that in mind. I'll try to watch out for unintentional anime crossovers. I honestly didn't know that Watsuki-sama is a male. His name doesn't really tell us. I feel so embarrassed! I just inferred that he was male from friends who claim to be connoisseurs on anything anime. Well that proves how much they really know. Well, I thank you for informing me. Try to tune in for my upcoming chapters and hopefully they'll be more to your liking.

CurlsofSerenity- Thanks for the comment and I hope that means you'll keep on reading. Oh and about the Tomoe idea, that could've worked but then my story wouldn't be so long and what would be the fun in that? But she's really not that skilled of an angel to do that and she can't be that skilled because I say so and whatever I say goes. Maybe she might show up again in my later chapters, who knows?

Wishstar- Really, what part of Canada? We went to Jamestown they speak English there (thank god). I so suck at French. Tried it for two years then gave up. I'm attempting Japanese now (I wonder how long that would last). Glad you like my story try to keep reading it, _d'accord_?

Elf Fanatic Lark- Yes I do think that Kaoru could fall in love with Kenshin again. But technically she never fell _out_ of love with him. Kaoru will have to realize that it's actually Kenshin she's telling her undying love to and not to the person he inhibited. But he may not even posses a person. For all anyone knows, I could just make him wake up in his own body and dig his way out of his grave like some corny horror movie. I'm remembering about Michael Jackson's video _Thriller_, which was when he was sane and normal.


	9. Moving On

Disclaimer: I dream of…TAKING OVER THE WORLD!!!!(Bruhahahaha) 0 Oh and while I'm doing that I'll find a way to own Rurouni Kenshin by subduing Watsuki-san with the use of my Robot Bunny Rabbits. _Advertisement: Machines that can help take over anything from famous mangas to entire nations and if pushed far enough, the world! No good ruler can govern a country without some and they just look soooo adorable as they create chaos for a new world order._

A/N

Hello all I'm back, I am really, truly back! Did you miss me? C'mon, people don't be shy. I am so sorry for this late update. But be warned, I am prone to procrastination and receiving daily loads of homework from my so-called school so do expect late chapters such as this. But, if you want to blame anyone lay it on my (_insert derogatory word here) _school. Yes, I am just an innocent victim amidst all of this. I mean did I ask to have school a week and a half early? Did I ask for loads and loads of homework? The answer…OF COURSE NOT! Well my ranting is over for now so here is the story.

Vocabulary

O'kashi- Japanese pastries/sweets

Tanuki- Raccoon (One of Kaoru's many nicknames)

* * *

Part Seven- Moving On

* * *

You've been long dead and already gone

Left us with enough time to finally move on

But you disappeared without so much as a farewell or goodbye

And I blamed you for leaving us all

But now all that I wonder is why

Why did you have to go

Do you even know

Why did you have to leave

Leaving your friends to suffer and grieve

But the pain is fading away

I futilely hope it will all be gone someday

And as days darken to nights

I realize that everything will soon be all right

* * *

Yahiko was abruptly wakened up from his deep slumber when he was rudely doused with a bucket of ice cold water. As he choked out the liquid that had found its way into his snoring mouth, he glared at the heinous assailant from beneath his water soaked hair. The shock of this rude awakening rendered him briefly speechless, but he rapidly recovered. "Geez busu, what the hell was that for? Are you trying to drown me in my sleep? Murdering an innocent kid like me is definitely frowned upon, and if you're so intent on murdering me suffocation would have been a lot less suspicious." 

Kaoru smiled innocently down at him clutching an empty bucket that lay forgotten in her hand. "Oh, so nowyou consider yourself a kid. I'm just so glad that you finally accept the truth, Yahiko-chan. But really Yahiko, how else was I supposed to wake you up for your training because nothing else was working? So, I decided to use some nice, fresh water from the well to give you that much needed wakeup call. Am I ingenious or what? Anyways, now you don't have an excuse to not do your laundry today. I mean just look at it, it's just soaking wet." Kaoru looked down despairingly at the drenched futon and covers.

Yahiko was starting to get annoyed at Kaoru's playful tone. "Oh, and I suppose that it's all my fault?" He asked sarcastically.

"Why of course it is. We wouldn't have to go through this everyday if you'd just learn how to wake yourself up." Kaoru's face turned serious, "Now I want you outside practicing your katas."

Yahiko just gaped at her in shocked disbelief. "Woman, are you crazy? First off, you wake me up soaking wet in freezing water that I will probably get a cold from and now you want me to do some stupid katas like some brain-dead student? You can't honestly expect me to act as if being covered in icy water is an good thing for me. Well all I have to say is that if you think for one moment that I…"

"Yahiko, you're really pushing it," Kaoru interrupted sternly, "Now you will go outside and give me some mid-swing katas right now, and instead of the usual five hundred let's try seven hundred to teach you to show some respect to a certain pretty young looking sensei."

Yahiko opened his mouth to make a smart retort but change his mind after seeing the set look in Kaoru's eyes. Making Kaoru mad at this point would only bring more pain to him in the long run. He fought his way out from under his water laden covers and trudged out the door all the while not so subtly muttering insults about his 'raccoon sensei'.

"You know Yahiko," Kaoru called out after him. "I was going to treat us both out to the Akabeko for breakfast but now I just have this sudden urge to cook, so I think I'll make breakfast today. I bet that you just can't wait to eat some of my home cooking." The only indication that Yahiko heard her was an almost inaudible gulp and the slight stiffening of his back. Kaoru smiled spitefully to herself anticipating Yahiko's reaction. Her words had the desired effect. Yahiko's only response was some choice oaths sworn under his breath and the loud slamming of the front shoji door.

* * *

Yahiko trudged through town, his whole being felt drained and weary. After being through Kaoru's endless torments which she considered training, he was further subjected to some more torture by being forced to eat her food and that in itself is horrifying enough. Even soaking in some soothing, steaming water didn't relax his nerves any but maybe that was because he was too busy worrying if what he had eaten was non-toxic or not. 

Kaoru sent him out on an errand hoping to keep him out of trouble for the time being. The dojo ran out of some medicinal supplies so Kaoru practically kicked him out so he can go and borrow some from Megumi and Dr. Gensai. And after playing the part of an errand boy, he gets to do his laundry and clean the whole dojo single handedly. Will the fun never cease? He probably could've gotten away with not doing his laundry if it wasn't for Kaoru. Just thinking about this morning's incident sets his blood aboil all over again.

Who does she thinks she is, thinking that she could pull stunts like that and get away unharmed? Yahiko grinned evilly to himself. Well if she thinks that he won't do anything about it then she'll be sadly mistaken. If it's the last think he'll ever do, he'll make sure by his own hands that his dear busu will get her just deserve. "That'll teach her to pull stupid acts like that on me again," Yahiko said aloud to himself smirking, unmindful that some people might think it a little strange that he was talking to himself.

Unbeknownst to him, his features slowly softened at the thought of his beloved sensei. Deep down he knew he wouldn't ever want Kaoru to stop doing crazy stuff like that. It's just been too long since she's been acting normal like that.

Shortly after Kenshin's death, Yahiko went out of his way to cheer Kaoru up. The only way he knew how was to annoy the hell out of her and until recently, it was so hard to get a decent rise out of her.

When Kenshin died, he didn't know what to think. From landing back at Tokyo, handing over Shuura and her men to the officials, and to telling Megumi and the others that their dearly loved Rurouni was dead, Yahiko's whole body was in complete and total shock.

Life at that moment had seemed too unreal to him, like something you read in a book. All he wanted to do was to flip to the ending and see the part where everyone lives happily ever after. His mind didn't really register that Kenshin was gone from them forever until the day of the funeral when he looked at Kenshin's pallid, lifeless face. Thinking back to the funeral, he noticed how many people came- like friends he didn't know Kenshin had and faces he never saw before. He had just left when Megumi broke down crying as people started to shovel dirt over Kenshin's lowered coffin.

He felt so mad after that. He blamed Kenshin for all that had happened, blamed the world for letting it happen, and blamed himself for not being strong enough to prevent it. He then tried to get stronger on his own, to prove that they didn't need Kenshin and that he'll be the one to protect everybody. He then started practicing long and hard into the night, practically everyday. But in the end, it all caught up to him. One evening when he was training he just collapsed. All that he was doing was too much strain on him and it had pushed his body past its limits.

He woke up a day or so later, to see Kaoru taking care of him. When he was trying to get stronger, he never for one moment thought about Kaoru. Kaoru, who ever since Kenshin's death, acted very subdued or as if nothing was wrong with her. She tried to comfort him after the funeral, but he just pushed her away. Whenever he snapped at her because he was feeling edgy or something she never lost her temper, on the contrary she just smiled and went off to do the work that he had neglected lately.

He never once thought about how she felt, and if he was feeling terrible then she must have felt worse because she and Kenshin were so close and she had known him longer than he had. At that moment when Kaoru was taking care of him, he promised himself that he'll make up for what he did and try to make Kaoru feel better. He no longer felt anger towards Kenshin; rather he felt sadness at losing him after having known him for what seemed a very short time.

Yahiko stopped in front of the town hospital that Dr. Gensai owned and where Megumi worked at. He didn't see anyone through the windows out front, so he went around back to see if anyone was there. He spotted Megumi hanging some clothes out to dry. "Hey Megumi," he called out to her trying to catch her attention.

She turned around and noticed him. "Oh, hi Yahiko," she greeted him, "Long time no see." She walked up to him and invited him inside for some tea and some of her homemade o'kashi. "So how have you been doing?" She asked him while watching him attempting to eat the o'kashi and drink the green tea at the same time.

"I'm doing fine and so is Kaoru."

"That's good to hear."

After talking with Megumi for a while, he noticed something was amiss. "Where are Dr. Gensai and his grandchildren, Megumi?" Yahiko asked. "I would've heard them before I seen them but from the looks of it," he glanced around the room that was spotless of children's toys and whatnot, "They haven't been here for awhile."

Megumi laughed good-naturedly. "A friend of Dr. Gensai invited them all up north to visit so they're going to be gone for about three weeks."

"They all deserve it. The vacation will do them some good."

Megumi smiled sadly, remembering the pain Dr. Gensai, Ayame, Suzume went through when they found out that Kenshin was gone. Even though Dr. Gensai didn't say anything, Megumi knew he was hurting. Loss of a loved one wasn't anything new for the doctor's granddaughters because both of their parents died years before, but Suzume was too young to remember. When Kenshin first died, Dr. Gensai often came to visit everyone at the dojo. Suzume when she went with him always asked Kaoru where Kenshin was and when he would be coming back. Kaoru just couldn't take the pain that came with these seamlessly harmless questions so she often tried to avoid answering her. After a week of this, Suzume stopped asking. Ayame on the other hand wouldn't even come to the dojo because she said it made her too sad. She couldn't stop crying after the funeral but gradually once the pain of his parting lessened she soon stopped but now her eyes always seem a little sad. It's just so heartbreaking that even children are forced to face the harshness of the real world.

"Oh Megumi, I almost forgot why I came here," Yahiko voiced, interrupting her train of thought, "I came over her to ask you for something. You see…"

"Why Yahiko," Megumi interrupted him, "you're acting more like Sano everyday. Just make sure you don't ask me for some gambling money or anything." She did her trademark laugh and looked down at Yahiko haughtily.

Yahiko sweat dropped and stared at her warily before she realized she compared him to a certain freeloading rooster head. "Hey, don't you go comparing me to that tori-atama, Megumi. Anyways a certain busu sent me here to borrow some medicine supplies from you. I mean it's not like I had a choice."

"Oh so the tanuki sent you then? Well I'll just go in the back and get you some supplies to give to Kaoru." She returned awhile later carrying a large bundle of medicine goods.

"Thanks Megumi." Yahiko said while trying to adjust the heavy load, "But do you really think that we'll need this much? I mean by the looks of this thing, it's about enough to open a small hospital."

"Knowing Tanuki like I do, she probably beats you to a pulp on a daily basis so this is really all for you. I put some o'kashi in there so you will at least get some edible food at the dojo."

Yahiko smiled gratefully at her as he said his goodbye and he walked out the door with the heavy pack securely strapped to his back. Yahiko didn't realize how heavy the bundle was until he started walking. He nearly staggered under the load and mentally groaned because the way back to the dojo was really long. Megumi in his opinion is nearly as bad as Kaoru and on top of that they were both women, and that fact in itself is scary enough.

* * *

"Kenshin, what are you doing?" Tomoe asked as she fluttered down next to him. 

Kenshin glanced at her trying not to let it show how much she surprised him. He couldn't feel her life energy since she's dead so he's been trying to notice her spirit energy but that's easier said then done. "I was checking up on my friends because it's nice to know how they're doing. I'm just glad that they're all okay." He turned his attention back to what he was doing before she arrived and a doting smile soon adorned his face, after awhile though he noticed Tomoe's nervousness. He didn't feel so uncomfortable around her lately but that's probably because she manages to have that affect on people. He looked at her, a questionable look clearly forming in his eyes.

"Am I that readable?" She asked humorously. Kenshin just smiled at her knowingly. She sighed knowing she eventually had to tell him what was agitating her. "Kenshin," she started seriously, "It's time."

"Time?" he repeated confused, "Time for what?"

"It's time for the final decision, Kenshin," Tomoe elaborated. "For you to decide exactly what you will do. We have to go now and see Gabe." She stood up and held her hand out to Kenshin.

Kenshin looked up at Tomoe and sighed knowing it would come down to this, but he wasn't sure if he was ready yet. He knew that if he accepted Tomoe's hand, then there would be no turning back for him. But the question still remains, does he really deserve this second chance after all that he has done? But he erased that doubt from his mind completely after thinking about the people he left behind and after thinking about Kaoru. He may not deserve this but Kaoru certainly does. She deserves to be happy and after observing her for a couple of weeks, he realized that she needs him as much as he needs her because it's the way it's meant to be, no doubt about it. Yes, he is doing this all for her so that she may discover the true joy of undying love.

Kenshin placed his hand in Tomoe's smooth pale one. She smiled understandingly, knowing how much of a struggle that small gesture must have been. That small action sealed his fate and determined what path in life he would soon take. Kenshin smiled genuinely up at Tomoe. He now knew that whatever uncertainties will face him, he would not back down because this is all for Kaoru and he will give the world to her if only to see her happy and at peace and if that meant risking his soul to see her again, then so be it.

"I'm ready." He said simply

"I sure hope so for your sake and Kaoru's." Tomoe gripped his hand a little tighter and then lifted them both up into the air to face the next step of what will begin the series of trials that Kenshin will soon have to face.

* * *

A/N

I am finally done, yippee! You all have no idea how long it took me to type this and on top of that, this chapter came out earlier than promised all thanks to me dtermination, dedication, and of course my wonderful viewers. Okay here is a clarification about something that I am constantly hearing. I did not take this from Yu Yu Hakusho. I don't even watch that show anymore. Granted, that was because Cartoon Network took it off but even so… I got this idea from watching RK and the Shurra episodes in those shows. You people still don't believe me, well I never! Well for all you dubious non-believers, below is a reenactment:

(Ange Noir watching Rurouni Kenshin)

A N: Wow Kenshin was kidnapped by Shurra to save Kaoru. That is so heroic.

(Still watching RK)

A N: Wouldn't it be so tragic if Shurra killed Kenshin?

(Gets teary eyed thinking about Kenshin dying)

A N: It would be so neat if someone wrote a story about that.

(Giant glowing light bulb appears over Ange's head. _A/N: I tend to do reenactments in form of anime. I just love them that much! ._)

A N: Hey I can write a story about that! It will be so awesome, too. I am just too brilliant for my own good! Oh golly, I had better start on it now but not before I finish watching Rurouni Kenshin.

(Finishes watching RK)

end reenactment

So I registered, put out some chapters, and VOILA; here I am. I guess it all kinda snowballed from there because right now, my story looks in no way similar to what it looked like when I first wrote it. See, I so did not do a crossover and I apologize if my story looks that way but if you want me to change it because _'you don't like it' _then…WRITE YOUR OWN STORY AND DO YOUR WAY BECAUSE I'M WRITING MY OWN STORY AND DOING IT MY OWN WAY!!!!!!! Okay so the above sounds a little harsh but I'm really tired of people talking trash about my story, and if you're an author you know what I'm talking about. So please review people so the next chapter will come out sooner!

Recognitons

Hecate

Thanks Hecate for looking over my work and everything.

Veemon19

No I didn't get that from yyh, but I get that a lot. I'm really flattered that you think this story is so great but writing professionally is really too much for me. But thanks for the compliments. .

Elf Fanatic Lark

Hope you like this chapter as well as the others. That would be a nice thing for Gabe to do but I don't know… Maybe, but who knows I certainly don't? In fact I writing this thing by pure creativity (which is now refueled and up and running) now with no plot in the vicinity, but hopefully that will change. Any suggestions you may have are sure welcomed. .

Brittanie Love

I'm glad you liked that chapter so much that this update is dedicated for you. But its also dedicated to all the people that constantly told me to update. I haven't forgotten ya'll. See, here's the new update so please don't kill me (crawls into a corner and cowers in fear).

HEY!

Hey! I love your name it's so loud and expressive and the exclamation point really adds a nice touch to it. I'm sure everyone would want to comb Kenshin's hair but if that's not possible then I will settle with brushing it, styling it, touching it…(stares fixedly at a close up picture of Kenshin's hair). But really, does he have his own secret stash of shampoo and conditioner or something because no way in the Meiji Era can peoples' hair be that neat, and shiny, and silky, and so on. And no I'm not putting YYH in my disclaimer b/c this is not a crossover or anything. I'm glad you liked my chapters and my over the top disclaimers from the looks of your numerous reviews. I hope you like this chapter too. Keep up the reviews okay? ,

A/N II

Okie dokie, that's all for now. Please review so I can update sooner. You'll all like that won't you? Did I even need to ask that question, of course you will! If you do, I'll give you all golden stars. You'll all like that won't you? So review really fast so I can update really fast. Just click on that little blue button down there and if you're colorblind, click on that little black /white button over there. But if you click on that button you get a reward- the reward of giving me a wondrous review. Just pretend that you're Deedee from Dexter's Laboratory (I can**not **stand that show) and you just live for pushing buttons. You're almost there only a little further just say to yourself, _I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…_Congratulations you did it! Now give yourself a pat on the back as you await for the next chapter. : p


	10. Farewell

Disclaimer: Oh yeah, rub it in why don't you? While we're at it, why don't we declare today 'Make fun of AngeNoir because She Doesn't Own Rurouni Kenshin Day'? Well I got news for you all, I may not own Rurouni Kenshin but I so have first dibs on it if it becomes available to the public. And if you even for one minute think of getting to it before me, you have to get through my army of Robot Bunny Rabbits, they're cute but deadly. But hey, although I may not own Rurouni Kenshin I do own Gabe and he's going to be mine forever and ever and ever…etc.

Ange Noir: squeezes Gabe to the point of unconsiousness

Gabe: Someone…help…me…passes out

A/N: This is a repost because my grammar was all wrong and the usual so I din't want to humiliate myself any longer by keeping it like it was. Today is my birthday so for a great big birthday present I would like some reviews. So just read this extra long chapter and review okay?

Last time on The Dead Never Stay Dead-…_he felt so mad after that. He blamed Kenshin for all that had happened, blamed the world for letting it happen, and blamed himself for not being strong enough to prevent it. He then tried to get stronger on his own, to prove that they didn't need Kenshin and that he'll be the one to protect everybody… He never once thought about how she felt, and if he was feeling terrible then she must have felt worse because she and Kenshin were so close and she had known him longer than he had. At that moment when Kaoru was taking care of him, he promised himself that he'll make up for what he did and try to make Kaoru feel better. He no longer felt anger towards Kenshin; rather he felt sadness at losing him after having known him for what seemed a very short time… It's just so heartbreaking that even children are forced to face the harshness of the real world…"Kenshin," she started seriously, "It's time…" But the question still remains, does he really deserve this second chance after all that he has done? But he erased that doubt from his mind completely after thinking about the people he left behind and after thinking about Kaoru. He may not deserve this but Kaoru certainly does… "I'm ready." He said simply… "I sure hope so for your sake and Kaoru's." Tomoe gripped his hand a little tighter and then lifted them both up into the air to face the next step of what will begin the series of trials that Kenshin will soon have to face…_

Things to know: In Japan when someone sneezes, the Japanese believe that someone is talking about you. Talk about paranoid, eh?

* * *

Part 8- Farewell

* * *

Time has elapsed

But I miss you

I miss you

I love you

And I truly need you

I know somehow that deep down you need me too

So I decided to come back for you

It's time to make amends for what I never said

And I'm able to do that now that I'm no longer dead

You are my new love

Maybe not my first but my last

One of the few who have ever accepted my past

This time I'm going to remember that on everyday

That I won't ever fail to say

To say that I don't dream of ever going away

And that I plan to love you in every which way

* * *

Kenshin stood restlessly beside Tomoe, waiting for the archangel's arrival. His hand kept straying to his side, trying to unconsciously grab the sakabatou that wasn't there, most likely to seek comfort from its familiar presence. Tomoe looked compassionately at him knowing that all this was from his nervousness. "Calm down," she berated to Kenshin, "he's going to be here soon enough." Kenshin glanced at her with a startled expression, so deep into his thoughts he was completely unaware of Tomoe's presence.

"I'm just anxious I guess." He gave her as way of an explanation. "I mean what happens today can and will change the rest of my life. I just feel a little on edge."

"Well just try to relax, okay?" Tomoe said, attempting to reassure him. "What will happen, will happen and no amount of worrying will ever change that. So if you can manage to calm down a little bit then today won't be too much a stress on your nerves."

Kenshin's face split into a placating smile, now feeling much calmer after Tomoe's quaint assurance. Tomoe inwardly smiled to herself after noticing Kenshin's sudden calm but her eyes sobered when she started thinking about his fate. Regardless of what she said earlier, one can't help worrying when faced with the unknown.

Ten minutes passed then fifteen and twenty. 'Where is he?' thought Tomoe. Looking down at Kenshin, she noticed that he appeared seemingly unconcerned at the Archangel's delay. Tomoe looked covertly around her so that Kenshin wouldn't be able to catch her impatience and mild distress. This is an important day for him and the only person able to make it all happen isn't here yet. She couldn't help but feel a little uneasy right now. It's amazing to her that Kenshin is able to wait so calmly for the angel when moments beforehand he couldn't stay still. 'How exactly is it that me, an high ranking angel in my prime, is unable to have the easiness that Kenshin now holds in abundance?' Looking once more about her, Tomoe let a small frown of annoyance mar her face to let known her displeasure, 'Exactly what _is _taking Gabe so long?'

* * *

Gabe irritably rubbed his nose after another bout of sneezing came upon him again. He was quickly tiring of these ongoing attacks because they were starting to fray upon his nerves. That and the fact that he woke up with a monstrous headache didn't help matters any. He figured that he was either coming down with something or someone was talking about him. Since it's unheard of for angels to get sick, he was leaning towards the latter option. Well seeing that there's nothing to stop these sneezing fits, he'll try to put up with them for the time being. Being who he is and all this should be expected.

All day however, Gabe couldn't help but feel as if he was forgetting something; something important. What that something was, he has yet to discover. Going over in his mind a list of all the things he had to do today, he came up with a blank. He couldn't for the life of him remember any small yet important detail that he has unnoticeably forgotten to do. He checked up on the major angels to see that they were all doing their jobs and he listened to all of their complaints and requests if they had any. He then looked in on some of the newly arrived angels that are having a hard time adjusting to this type of lifestyle. There was a small group of children that he had an especially hard time consoling. This was normally Tomoe's department but since nowadays she has her hands full with Kenshin, Gabe decided to help her out a bit and just do this job for her for the time being.

Wait a second, Gabe's eyes widen in realization. 'Of course,' he thought to himself , 'how could I have forgotten? I was supposed to meet both Kenshin and Tomoe today because today is when I'm sending Kenshin back to Earth. And checking the time I was suppose to meet them about… thirty minutes ago!' Gabe gulped nervously after weighing the predicament he was in. Tomoe is going to kill him! Another sneeze took hold of him and he grimaced. He could bet on all that is holy that Tomoe supplied most of these sneezes to him because she's just so fickle about promptness.

Another sneeze echoed through him and he hurriedly sped off on his wings towards the previously arranged rendezvous. He wasn't in the right mind state to concentrate enough to teleport safely. For all he knew if he even attempted to teleport, he might accidentally send his wings to who knows where. Gabe faltered slightly in the air as another sneeze came upon him. 'Is it just Tomoe or are all women such sticklers for punctuality?'

* * *

Tomoe's eyes bore holes deep into Gabe's back as she glared at both Gabe and Kenshin from afar. He had the nerve to fly in almost an hour late, didn't even supply an excuse or reason, and only when she reminded him of his misdemeanors Gabe remembered to at least give both of them an apology. But it can hardly qualify as a good apology. It was more of an 'I don't care, I can get away with anything'apology. But that's not even the gist of her anger. What's really making her mad, irritating her beyond belief is that after all she has done, all the patience she shown these past weeks, the understandments of his numerous slipups (and there were many), after all of that and her never ceasing dedication and compassion for this new idea, he just dismissed her as if it was nothing.

_"Tomoe you may leave us now. I'll just send for you when I require your services again."_ Those were exact words verbatim for verbatim. How dare he treat her as some servant- important only when he can gain something from her without him having to do anything? Just seeing those mocking words in her mind's eye, set her fuming once more.

The only satisfaction she got from any of this was that throughout the whole charade, Gabe failed to look at her straight in the eye. It seemed that he was acting a litter afraid around her but that certainly didn't show in his tone or choice of words. But knowing Gabe his attitude was probably only an act. But the reason he was afraid was most likely because he was fearful of a reoccurrence of what happened last time when she became mad. And all that it proved was that angels aren't always angelic and can be like demons themselves if need arise. 'And it certainly did arise in that particular situation.' Tomoe thought smugly to herself.

Not wanting to remain the third wheel, Tomoe took to the sky to attend to the chores she had shirked for the past weeks. At least there, she will be wanted and needed. And without even bothering to look at the conversing duo below her, Tomoe disappeared from their to attend to her own equally important business.

* * *

Gabe could breathe a little easier now that Tomoe finally left them. She's one angel that you wouldn't want to make angry. Gabe cringed involuntarily, recalling a not so fond memory when he had the misfortune to make her mad. Actually it can better be described as frightenly enraged than just plain mad. And when Tomoe's angry, it's a dire day for all in heaven because her temper isn't something to be taken lightly.

But he wasn't here to think about Tomoe and how one should be wary of her split personality; he was here for Kenshin to give him insight and guidance if he is still undecided about his final decision. Turning to his redheaded companion that was silently walking beside him, he realized that Kenshin was in his own little world at the moment. Even waving his hand in front of Kenshin's face didn't snap him out of it and after a few failed attempts at that, Gabe began plotting of ways to get his attention.

Suddenly a devious smile alighted upon his face as a cunning idea began forming in his mind. Gabe fell back behind Kenshin until he was a few yards away from him. He then started to run towards Kenshin at full speed which increased as he gained momentum. A few feet from Kenshin's still oblivious form, Gabe using his acceleration and his wings gained air and landed soundly upon Kenshin's shoulders. This unexpected weight threw Kenshin off balance and sent him tumbling towards the ground.

With a resounding thud and a muffled 'oro', Kenshin was snapped out of his daze. Gabe who escaped unscathed, landed lightly beside Kenshin's fallen form. "Kenshin," Gabe spoke openly to the swirly-eyed man as if what he did was an everyday occurrence, "you won't believe the lengths I frequently have to go to snap you out of your daydreams." A small frown was placed on Gabe's face as he just observed Kenshin for a minute. "You have really got to shape up Kenshin because at times I feel like I'm your babysitter afraid to leave you alone from one moment." Gabe said, in a reprimanding tone.

After Gabe helped Kenshin up and dusted him off, Kenshin just smiled at him good-naturally. "You know it's at times like these that you remind me of how little you really are."

At that remark Gabe's body bristled out angrily and he ruffled out his wings; indignant. "I am not little and I feel highly offended by this accusation. Why I bet that I'm a few decades if not centuries older than you." Gabe stated roughly, swiftly denying Kenshin's observation.

Kenshin just smiled genially at Gabe, undeterred at his fierce outburst. "For a moment there you acted just like Yahiko."

Gabe just glowered at him sulkily, feeling as if he had just been insulted. "Now that's going too far and I wholly resent that remark so I'll just pretend that you didn't say anything."

Kenshin realizing that he made Gabe mad readily apologize to make amends. Gabe only sighed, his resolve to stay mad at him slipping. It is practically impossible to remain angry with Kenshin and he should be the one apologizing not him. After all, he was the person responsible for pummeling Kenshin into the ground and from the thud that he heard, it must've been painful. Gabe smiled at Kenshin to let him know that his apology was accepted and that they are on good terms again. Nonetheless Gabe not one to be easily misguided from the situation at hand, turned a worried face towards Kenshin. "But seriously, is there anything wrong Kenshin? You were just so preoccupied with your thoughts that you had me worried for a second there."

"I'm sorry that I worried you." Kenshin said his tone light so as to ease up Gabe's unnecessary worrying. "I was just thinking about some things, I guess I just forgot where I was for a moment."

"Care to share them with me?" Gabe asked, concerned.

"That's alright but it's not as serious as you think." Kenshin said as a turndown to Gabe's offer. "It's nothing really so I don't want to trouble you with them."

Gabe peered into Kenshin's face his attitude serious as though he was looking for some unknown clue in the depths of his eyes. Suddenly feeling awkward and self-conscious Kenshin blinked once, twice, and three times before Gabe stopped looking so earnestly at him and he relaxed his face into an easy grin. "Well I'm sure that you're right and it's probably nothing to get so worked up about. But if you're ever in need for someone to talk to, I'm always here for you." Kenshin just smiled knowing that he wouldn't dream of burdening his problems on Gabe or anyone else for that matter. He created these problems on his own in the first place so it's only fitting that he should suffer the consequences.

Realizing that Gabe went on walking without him, Kenshin ran to catch up. They continued walking in companionable silence each deeply immersed in their own thoughts, Gabe with trying to find the best way to talk about Kenshin's predicament and Kenshin was thinking about the he have left behind in Japan.

Suddenly Gabe stopped his face serious as he decided to get down to business. And even if his words don't come out as smoothly as he wanted, so what? There's no use in delaying the inevitable. And anyways, there will be less misunderstanding if his words were blunt.

Kenshin who had fallen behind Gabe didn't notice that the archangel stopped so he bumped right into him and he barely managed to not fall this time around. 'I have got to stop this daydreaming business.' Kenshin thought reproachfully to himself. Kenshin walked up beside Gabe and was going to apologize to him until he saw the expression on his face. He looked as if he was thinking about something very important and if Kenshin so much as open his mouth, Gabe would be likely to lose his train of thought. So Kenshin patiently waited by Gabe's side willing to listen to his thoughts when he was ready and if he feels like sharing them.

But Kenshin's mind soon wandered and his eyes roamed the horizon to pick up anything interesting. In many ways, Heaven is not too different from Japan. Children still play in parks that uncannily resemble, between the numbers of clouds, the greenery enriched parks on Earth. There are couples of elderly who take walks to enjoy the scenery and groups of kids who just sit chat under the shades of Cherry Blossoms. Why if it wasn't for the wings, halos, and the fact that he knew everyone was dead, Kenshin would've thought that he was back alive on Earth.

As Kenshin allowed himself to sink into his thoughts once more, Gabe decided that is was time for action and he began to voice out his thoughts to Kenshin, unbeknownst to him that he had started daydreaming again. "You don 't belong here you know." Gabe stated pleasantly as he began walking again. Kenshin's daydreams crashed right around him as he hurried to catch up to Gabe and he tried to digest what's been said to him.

Gabe glanced over to Kenshin and shook his head in good humor. Is Heaven just so dull that Kenshin falls so easily into daydreaming? "You were probably to busy daydreaming to hear what I was saying so I'll repeat it just for your benefit." Gabe looked beside him at Kenshin and quirked an eyebrow in amusement as Kenshin's face tinged a faint pink. Gabe turned his attention back towards the road all traces of emotion wiped from his face. "You may have noticed that heaven resembles Earth in a lot of ways. There are animals, plants, and so on. Basically all items involving Nature that GOD created can be found here. But the thing is that this is all an illusion. A powerful, impressive illusion created only to make the new angels feel more at home here. Heaven may _look_ like Earth but it _isn't _Earth and that's where you belong- on Earth."

Kenshin turned a confused face towards Gabe but seeing that he had his eyes elsewhere, he voiced out his confusion. "What exactly do you mean by all of this?"

"Why don't we sit down for awhile, Kenshin?" Gabe offered spotting a bench not too far off. "What I have to say can be better understood sitting down." Kenshin considered just standing up but that would be rude and that just wasn't him. Even so all this talking was starting to make him a little apprehensive. Kenshin just nodded his head in compliance as more questions and worrisome thoughts raced through his mind. They walked over to a park bench that showed a great view of the park. It gave off a wonderful atmosphere, making Kenshin feel less anxious than he was feeling a moment ago. Kenshin glanced over to Gabe expectant of his words but it seemed that he was stalling for the time being. The anxiety was killing him but he waited two months for this so awhile longer won't kill him after all he is dead. He just hopes that Gabe won't take too long because the suspense is driving him mad.

Gabe gazed out towards the park and all its lively as he racked his mind to find a simple way to explain all the complications concerning Kenshin's past. Finally after what seemed like forever, he sighed coning to terms with himself that there is no way easy enough to accurately convey what he wanted to say. Oh what the hell, he'll just wing it and hope that'll it'll come right.

Gabe slid back in his seat trying to get comfortable enough on the cold, rigid bench. He looked down morose-fully at his dangling feet as he tried to bring up the nerve to do what was warranted from him. At last he raised his head towards the energetic scenery while trying to ignore Kenshin's questioning gaze. It was either now or later and the sooner that he got it over with the better.

"You don't belong here because you weren't meant to die and your sudden death can and will affect what will happen in Japan." There, that was in his opinion simple enough. But after looking at Kenshin's lost expression, Gabe realized that he only confused him some more. Gabe sighed inwardly exasperated with himself. It wasn't Kenshin's fault that he wasn't getting it, it was his because talking really isn't one of his strong suits.

Gabe took a deep breath before going on trying to come up with a different approach to the problem. "Okay let's put it this way. If you stay here, your absence from Japan will upset the natural flow of history resulting in an unforeseen paradox. Everyone on Earth has a destiny that has already been mapped out before his or her birth. You had your own destiny planned as well. It doesn't matter if you don't believe me or not, but that's the truth. It was your destiny to fulfill the role of the Battousai and bring Japan into a new era. You had to be the one to do it because nobody else was so highly qualified like you were. And believe me when I say no one I mean _no one_. You wouldn't believe how hard or long we looked. We even went so far as to…"

"Um… Gabe?" Kenshin interrupted him gently.

"Huh?" Gabe asked. For once, he was the clueless one. Kenshin only quirked an eyebrow at him amusingly waiting for Gabe to catch on to what he was getting at.

"What?" Gabe demanded irritatingly fed up with the silent messages that he couldn't quite understand. "I don't know what you're getting a…" Gabe trailed off as realization hit him hard. He cleared his throat, embarrassed that he wandered off the main subject. And he called himself an archangel. He sounded more like the _little _kid that Kenshin accredited him as. As his face flushed apologetically under the injustice of all of this, he smiled meekly at Kenshin before trying to get back on track. "As I was saying before my mind wandered a bit," Gabe then uttered a cough, feeling slight discomfort from that admittance, "you were predestined to become the Battousai. But that was only part of your destiny because you have yet to complete the other part of it and your unplanned death is to blame for the interruption of your fated destiny. But if you fail to return to Japan and accomplish your destiny, I fear what will happen to Japan's history because of that." Gabe took a deep breath and looked his eyes to Kenshin's face, his expression dead serious. He just _had _to get the message across to him. "Kenshin, it is for that very reason why it is crucial for you to go back to Japan."

After his small speech Gabe turned expectant eyes towards Kenshin hoping that he now understood. Gabe's eyes became deadpanned after he realized that Kenshin was daydreaming…again. Well he shouldn't be surprised because this has happened enough times for him to be expecting it. But maybe Heaven's atmosphere is a little too much for Kenshin. But there have been past occurrences of angels who can't let go of their life on Earth and were prone to fall into daydream spells. Gabe eyes softened worriedly as he continued to observe Kenshin, maybe he was suffering from something like that. But this was Kenshin he was talking about, the legendary swordsman. Imagining him succumbing to something as weak as that was just simply… unbelievable. With his worry dispersed, Gabe narrowed his eyes in anger. He wasn't such a bad speaker that he made Kenshin's mind wander, was he? And even if he was, it's rude to treat him a genuine archangel in this manner.

Gabe was so riled up that he was tempted to snap Kenshin into awareness but he suppose that both he and Kenshin needed the time to think. So as patiently as he could and that wasn't saying much, he waited for Kenshin to come out of his stupor. Gabe counted the passing time by drumming his fingers on the arm of the bench to show his annoyance and to vent out his anger. It may be a terrible thing to anger Tomoe, but then again it's a crime in itself to anger any angel. Yet even in the midst of this bout of anger, Gabe couldn't help wondering exactly what Kenshin daydreams about all the time.

* * *

He was reliving all of his memories that involved his makeshift family. He was remembering how he met each and every one of them, and reminiscing on all the good and bad events that they all experienced together.

Kenshin smiled softly to himself recalling each special trait that set them all apart.

Sano with his loose attitude and his impulsiveness leaves you forever entertained. His love for gambling and everything free, particularly food, remains unrivaled but he is the man to rely on when you need someone to fight alongside by you.

Yahiko has the true heart and spirit of a samurai but he also holds in his possession this undeniable stubborn will. That can be useful for when he stands up for something he deeply believes in. However, he does have this natural knack for causing and getting into trouble especially when it involves a certain young dojo assistant master.

Megumi's unbelievable doctrine skills and knowledge often leaves one amazed. Although her somewhat playful teasing can cause trouble for people like something you've never seen before. But that can usually be overlooked because her sophistication and liveliness tends to make you overlook her vices.

Dr. Gensai and his granddaughters are always a pleasure to have around you. Their warm and understanding attitudes never fail to put people at ease. But how can one not be with being around the ever bubbling and playful Ayame and Suzume?

Tae and Tsubame are such friendly and nice people. They are always willing to help anybody they should come across. They often are able to put smiles upon the most downtrodden of people's faces.

But then there's Kaoru… ah Kaoru. To sum her up in a few short words is a feat impossible for him. She took him in regardless of who he was and of his past. That in itself shown that she is considerate and trusting. She is strong willed, brave, and beautiful beyond comparison. She has this inner light that you can't help but be drawn to. Yet she has a down-to-earth rough edge attitude that makes you comfortable to be around her.

Kenshin sighed, nostalgia seeping in him. He wanted to go back home to his family. No, he _needed_ to go back home to his family. He didn't know when he started considering the dojo home or the people he came to know his family. His real family was taken away from him at such a young age. So to be granted another family after all of the terrible crimes he had committed, is something that never ceases to amaze him.

But if what Gabe said is true then if he is unable to go back to Japan, to his old life, then Japan will be affected in distressing way. And if Japan is affected then quite possibly so will his family as well as numerous others living in Japan. He might unintentionally hurt them all if he failed to return. That will be yet another burden that haunts his dreams. But to be able to return to Japan he will have to share a body with them. That is just something he can't bring himself to do especially if the person he is going to share a body with has no say in the matter. It doesn't matter if the fate of Japan rests on his shoulders he cannot _will not_ mess up someone's life by inhabiting their body. There just has to be another way because if there isn't his conscience will suffer greatly because of it.

Kenshin was eased from his musings by a persisting tug on his sleeve. Kenshin turned to see a very irritated angel glaring up at him. "I guess I did it again, huh?" Kenshin asked in or rather stated in an apologetic tone. His only answer was the thinning of Gabe's lips to show the level of his annoyance.

"Umm, I guess an 'I'm sorry' is needed here." Kenshin interjected lamely in the static silence.

Gabe just sighed and massaged his temples for a bit to try to rid himself of an oncoming headache. He never had any before Kenshin came so he knows exactly who to blame. But really, he's getting too old for this. Gabe focused his eyes on Kenshin, hoping that he at least got the gist of what he was saying. "Please tell at least that you now understand what I explained to you because I am not going to repeat it again. Good deeds can only drive so far."

Kenshin nodded implying that he understood everything. Gabe then sighed in relief relaxing a bit in the process. But at the sight of Kenshin's somewhat troubled eyes, Gabe didn't let his guard down completely. "While I understand that I must return to Japan to complete my duty that I was predestined for, I can't return in the way that you won't me to." At the appearance of a frown on Gabe's face Kenshin rushed on ahead. "It's not that I don't want to because I want nothing more than to go back. But I can't in good conscience evade someone's body to do it. I know that I have caused you enough trouble as there is but if there is another way to do this then please tell me. If I can go back in my own body or perhaps have a new empty one or even…" Kenshin broke off confused at the peals of laughter now pouring forth from Gabe's mouth.

"Is that all?" Gabe asked between fits of laughter.

"Is that all." Kenshin repeated incredulously. "If you don't mind me asking, what exactly do you mean by saying 'is that all?'?"

Gabe who had gotten his laughter under control straightened in his seat and looked Kenshin full in the face. His eyes still crinkled at the corners so it still looked as if he was laughing at him, but Kenshin decided to disregard that.

"Really Kenshin you shouldn't scare me like that. I thought it was a life or death situation or something. You know, something important."

"But it is important." Kenshin said imploringly while slightly leaning forward. "I just can't regardless of the importance of this situation enter someones body without their knowledge or permission."

"Calm down no need to get so passionate." Gabe said reassuringly while he pushed the red head back until he was squarely rooted on the bench. "You know as well as I do that you don't have to pick that option. You do, after all have another choice." Disbelief and relief washed over Kenshin's face and after seeing that, Gabe realized he didn't inform Kenshin of this second choice. Gabe grinned to himself in embarrassment. Really where has his memory gone these days? "Apparently that other choice I failed to tell you about. Sorry about that." Gabe said apologetically.

At the sight of Kenshin's open face, Gabe continued. "Yeah you see since I know how much of a prick you can be about weighing people down with your personal problems, I improved my talents so that I will be able to transport your soul into a new unused body."

At Kenshin's lack of response Gabe jokingly commented, "Oh no, no, hold your thanks really all this gratitude is pretty overwhelming." At Kenshin's blank look, Gabe sighed giving up. "Why do I even try? I admit defeat because my sarcasm is most definitely wasted on you."

Kenshin looked at Gabe, finally getting what he was saying. "Oh please forgive my rudeness. It's just that I'm so shocked at all of this that it's taking me awhile to let it all sink in. But thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me."

Gabe got up from the bench and tilted his head towards Kenshin. His hair ruffled calmly in the breeze and his eyes clouded as if remembering a faraway memory. "I think I do." Gabe responding plainly and his voice gave that short sentence such a feeling of sadness that the grief almost feels tangible. Before Kenshin had time to think about this moment for long, Gabe's attitude change and the mood lightened.

"Come on," he said brightly, "let's go find Tomoe because I know if I leave her out of something this big she'll have my head." So Gabe then grabbed Kenshin's hand and hauled him out of his seat. Stretching out his wings, they took to the air in search of Tomoe so they can finally close the book on all of this confusion and send Kenshin back home.

* * *

Three silhouettes stood at the back gates of heaven. Up close, you will immediately recognize them all- a tall ebony hair beauty with warm brown eyes and skin the color of ivory. She can often be seen helping many angels both new and old around the vast empire known as the last remaining Eden. In the middle, an angel of short stature but of high ranks, the great archangel Gabriel. He is one angel very quick to anger but most of his frustration comes from a deep-rooted resentment that he bears the facial features and physical attributes of a young boy. How he came to be archangel, nobody quite knows. Standing next to Gabe is a person that you can't help but recognize. With his flaming red tresses and deep violet eyes, one would think he looked quite peculiar. But after noticing the cross mark scar on his cheek, you would be afraid to voice that out to him because seeing that trademark you would know him as the legendary samurai, Battousai.

But if you happen to stumble across this trio, they will pay you no heed because they are at the moment discussing something of great importance among themselves.

"So exactly what do I have to do?" Kenshin asked nervously. His apprehension, now that the time to actually leave was here, was increasing in leaps and bounds.

"It's not that hard really." Gabe explained plainly. "All you have to do is step through the back gates of heaven will you will fall into your new body. Seeing Kenshin's startled face, Gabe rushed on to reassure him. "You won't be hurt at all because a jet stream of air will guide you safely to your new body."

"Um, so I don't have to worry about spirit energy or ki or anything like that." Kenshin asked.

"Oh that?" Gabe said laughing it off. "I just said those things to make me seem smarter than the average angel. You know I do have to keep up my image. So even if you wanted to return to Japan the other way all that junk wouldn't have mattered."

Kenshin's face took on a dumbfounded expression. "Well it worked." Gabe said inconvincibly. He ran his hand through his hair suddenly feeling embarrassed.

Tomoe then decided it was time to step in to save Gabe anymore unnecessary embarrassment. "I'll miss…no we'll miss you Kenshin." Her throat clogged up with unbidden emotions. "Make sure you do some good down there so we'll know that all our work wasn't for naught." Tomoe then hugged him surprising them both. Kenshin uncertainly returned it at loss at what to do. "Who knows," Tomoe murmured against his chest chokingly as salty tears slid down unwanted against her cheeks, "maybe if you're lucky we'll meet up down the road someday." But just as quickly as this moment begun, it was just as quickly ended making it seem as though Kenshin imagined it all. But he could smell the scent of her tears and he could see the shaking of her body as she tried to gain her composure. Maybe on some level she actually does remember him.

But before Kenshin could delve into that thought any further, Gabe started speaking acting like nothing ever happened. "Now listen carefully Kenshin this part is important." Gabe waited until he was sure he had Kenshin's full attention before continuing. "You must not inder any circumstances tell anyone of your real identity but they must realize it on their own. You may help lead them to the conclusion that you are Himura Kenshin but if you tell them directly, dire consequences will follow." After seeing that Kenshin understood, Gabe went on. "You have only a certain amount of time to remain in this body and after that time is up and Kaoru hasn't realized who you are and you haven't accomplished your destiny you will be thrown from this body and will await your judgment of your sins in Purgatory." Gabe held up his hand stalling Kenshin's question. "You will know when your time is nearing the end but I cannot accurately tell you exactly how. Just trust me when I say, you will know. If you succeed in doing what is required of you, we will provide you with your original body." Gabe scratched his head trying to think of anything he might've left out but he came up with nothing. "So, um, that's about it. Any questions?"

"Just one," Kenshin replied.

"I'm all ears." Gabe said warmly.

"How will I know what my destiny is?" Kenshin asked contemplative.

Gabe was lost. How would he know? Or better yet how would _anyone _know what their destiny is? Gabe searched his brain to come up with the right words to answer this. "Truthfully," Gabe admitted, "I have no idea. But I guess you'll just _know, _you know?" Gabe reached up and somewhat awkwardly patted Kenshin's back. "Why don't you burn that bridge when you come to it? I'll sure you'll figure out a better answer than mine sooner or later."

Kenshin smiled down at Gabe, unconvinced at this slight conviction. Gabe stepped back from Kenshin. He was starting to miss him already. "Well you better get going. There's no use staying around here any longer."

The gates were opened and everything was in place all that he need to do was to leave. Kenshin ran his hand through his windblown red locks. He was stalling and he knew it. Kenshin sighed as tendrils of anticipation and uncertainty flitted through his stomach. He was just about to jump before a nagging worry enter into his head.

He turned to Gabe and asked afraid of the answer, "Um, you have done this before… right?"

Gabe just walked slowly up to him his smile a little too fake for Kenshin's comfort. Kenshin was granted one answer before he was pushed unceremoniously out of Heaven's gates by the archangel himself, "Uh, not really."

* * *

A/N: After three months and numerous revisions, it is done! This chapter didn't go through my beta because she is unavaiable at this time. So when she gets back I'll send it to her so it can look grammatically correct. Kenshin may seem to have his head in the clouds a lot in this chapter but that's just how it came out. (sorry for that sad excuse for a pun, but I just couldn't resist). But you know often times the story writes itself instead of you writing the story. Don't get it? Neither do I so no worries. This has got to be my longest chapter yet so accept this as your Christmas present and a huge apology present too. I'm also starting some new works so don't expect my next chapter to come out soon. Oh, my birthday is on the seventh of January so if you all wish me a sweet sixteen then it may come out faster than expected.

Reccomendations:

It seems as if every story has some so why not mine?

Chiki: What can I say? She has the best stories. And to be able to update three stories in one day is a highly commendable feat.

A Memory Forgotten by donna8157: It's a Kaoru loses her momory kind of fic but except none of the Kenshin-gumi are there to help her recover it. She meet Seta Soujiro and after some conflicts with some shady characters they travel to China to solve a past that Kaoru never knew she had. Original pairing so don't fret but it's certainly a story worth reading. I am not really good with summaries so check it out for yourself.

Reviews:

You guys been waiting three months for these so I made sure I made them extra good.

CurlsofSerenity

points there's tomoe! KEnshin get your butt back to Kaoru!

clasps hand over mouth **You are eccentric, as always it seems. Yes, Kenshin's going back to Kaoru (about time I might add). Now we'll just have to sit back and see what will happen.**

IchigoHikaru

I luv this story! It's great! I have a suggestion for you though. Imagine if youput the entire shishio thing..you know what i mean...into this story? Since thistakes before then it would add an interesting plot to the story. Just imagine!If Kenshin decides to live as Sano, then they are going to need another fighterwhen they go to Shishio's hideout..etc. Could you tell me what you think? **I'm**** glad you like my story, I like it too. Well of course I should because it's my story. Does my idiocy have no boundaries? Putting Shishio in the mix will complicate matters a lot and putting the Juppongata in there too is probably too much drama then I already need. But don't worry I have a couple of bad guys that will show up and maybe some other characters from RK.**

Melissa

I'm enjoying your fanfic and I'll be looking for updates. You must be annoyedat so many people asking if you got the idea from Yu Yu Hakusho;I would be. Nevertheless, when I read that part, it was an immediate reaction.The grammatical errors that slip through are fine. Only if they become sonumerous that I lose the story's thread will I quit reading, but that shouldn'tbe a problem with yours.You wondered if you should change the name? I doubt you would at this stage, butdon't. I like it, and your title stands out among all of the others. Inaddition, how would I find you again?I would like it best if Kenshin got his own body back, but I'm waiting to seewhat you decide. This is, after all, your story, so I accept that you willwrite what you will write. (still--please not Sano)I like the foreign words and phrases you include because you also say what theymean. Yes, this reader is an idiot(baka!)concerning such, but I'm learning:)I also like the poetry at the beginning of each chapter, but if you becomestuck, skip it and post the chapter without it. Maybe add it in later if you'reinspired.I feel you're staying true to the characters, which is my main requirement for afanfic. Changing the personalities would ruin the story in almost everyinstance. Thank you for letting them be themselves.Happy writing! **I'm**** glad you like my story and the Yu Yu Hakusho reaction can be a pain, but I'm learning to ignore it. I'm glad the grammar isn't too bad you can thank my beta Julia on that part because I have no grammar skills whatsoever but I have this habit to correcting people in their grammar errors when they speak. Word of advice never do this to a teacher and definitely an English teacher. I don't think I'm going to change the title it kind of grew on me after awhile. What's wrong with Sano? Kenshin in the end will get his body back. I'm also juggling with the idea of giving him a new body after awhile. I'm glad you like the vocabulary. Some stories don't put the meanings down and that just gets so confusing so I just assumed that everyone is as much as a baka as me and put them on the top. I have great poems, don't I? Not many people have their original poems for _each _chapter. But if I'm stuck I'll probably ask some readers if they supply me one because I can't type as well if I don't have a good poem to guide me. They're kind of like guidelines for me. Aren't I strange? I'm glad you think my characters are acting in character. That's one of my top priorities concerning this story. Hopefully my characters will stay this way as the story progresses.**

Ari and Kat(faery)

howdy!This is Ari calling...hello, is anyone there...oh well, where's the beep?(BEEP)His y'all, this is Ari! JUst wanted to stop by and say hi, and say that i likedthe fanfic- but what's happened to Kenshin?! NO! YOU KILLED HIM! Man, where's a good katana when you need one?...Oh...you're bringing him back?Okay, i guess it's alright then...Well, got to go- read my fan fic, Wind Blown Storms! Meth ten, and Go in Peace! –Ari **One thing I fear- chemically imbalanced reviewers. Thank you for reminding me why. Thanks also for reading my story and I hope you like this chapter (as late as it came out) as well as much as you like my others. I'll try to check out your story and after reading your review, I'm sure it's as crazy as you. While we're on the subject of unsolicited advertisements, read my other stories/poems. **Kittenkatie 

i really enjoy reading your story. i hope you update

it really soon

**If you consider an update three months**

**later**** early, then yes, I updated really soon. **

**I'm**** glad you like my story. If you**

**didn't****, then you probably wouldn't have said that you enjoy reading it. Aren't I obvious?**

Elf Fanatic Lark

DON DON DON! The final choice has come! Poor kenny...he's always gotta makethose hard choices...but, I still think that he should either be put in a newbody, and habe Karou fall in love with him...(idea!!) Maybe he could be injuredor something and passes out in front of the dojo? Maybe yahiko or Karou findshim, and during the recovery she learns that he doesn't know of his past, but heacts so much like Kenshin!crosses arms That's fine, I just can't wait for the next chapter! **I hope you're not mad at me because I might become so distraught that I might not be up to working on the next chapter and I will take even _longer _to update. You know if you read between the lines that really mean to shower me with reviews. Wow your idea sounds like you have your own story! I might have Kenshin transfer to another body somewhere along the way but for the moment he's sticking with… Well to find that out you have to stay tuned for the next chapter.**

Ava

Its bob's fault you're taking a while to write the next chapter, isn't it? I know it is! But don't feel bad, bob does that to everybody! **Bob always gets a bad rep, doesn't he? Why do people always assume that when something goes wrong, it's always Bob's fault. Have you ever considered that it might now be bob's fault but that I might be the one to blame? But unfortunately this time around it is Bob's fault. I have never realized until now how much better it feels to blame someone else.**

Julia

I seemed to have misplaced your email address so if you can e-mail me it, then that will be most appreciated. I know you haven't beta'd this chap but I haven't gotten a chance to email it to you since I lost your address but…oh look cookies! Gotta go

A/N: Well that's it tune in next time to find out

what will befall our beloved Rurouni. Oh

if you want to be on my mailing list please leave your e-mail address, thank


	11. Oblivion is Bliss

Ange's Corner: Hey all! Remember me? I'm the no good scum who has the gall to not update for weeks and months on end. My excuse, one gets lazy during school time. Don't try to deny it, I bet you're apt to procrastinate on some things as well. I hope you all like my apology from last time and hopefully ff . net ppl haven't caught on that it's not an actual story. I'll try to update more often now, but I can't promise you a rose garden you know. So enjoy, review, and get on with your lives okay?

Disclaimer: you know it's such a long and tedious process to actually get the rights to Rurouni Kenshin, so I think I'll take a breather for awhile. Oh, the paperwork…so much paperwork!

* * *

Part 9- Oblivion is Bliss

* * *

The newest chapter in my life has just been closed

What my future may hold not even the Fates know

Eagerness soon takes control but doubt invades my heart

How is it out of so many considered for another chance only I am accepted to take part

But I can't stop now after gotten so far

I can't stop now and refuse the help from my guardian stars

For even a soiled Rurouni is entitled to some happiness

Why though is more or less anybody's guess

So I shall toil onwards to complete my goal

I shall toil onwards to reclaim the light of my soul

She's waiting for me even as I speak

She considers me so strong so I can't let her down and show that I can be weak

* * *

Gabe was starting to worry her. Sure he went about his daily duties like he normally did but beneath all his smiles and everything else Tomoe know that something was troubling him and she couldn't help but question that it might have something to do with Kenshin. Of course it wasn't any of her concer,n but ever since meeting Kenshin the thought of anything happening to him was just something that didn't settle well with her. It goes beyond the fact that he had always gotten the short end of the stick in his life. No, it was something more, something deeper and somewhat instinctive. How odd. Who knows, maybe she did know Kenshin in her previous life. The expression on his face when she first met him seems t o agree with her suspicions. If that were at all true then it would be foolish to get involved any deeper in all this mess. Just imagine what would happen if she regained her memory because of this.

Tomoe knew an angel who through a careless mistake of his charge (the chance you have to take being a guardian angel); regained the memories of his material life. It wasn't that his time on Earth was a bad experience or anything, but the overload that his mind underwent after decades of ignorance completely devastated him. He lost his position as a guardian angel because of all this and everyday for the past five human years he had to have his memories gradually repressed in order to return to how he was before all the mess started. Even so, he was never quite the same. Imagining that happening to her was just something she didn't even want to envision.

Tomoe felt guilty because by being hesitant she was acting selfish, a nature that angels are not suppose to possess. Well enough's enough! While she still has the chance she has to do something about the mess Gabe stupidly made. It's obvious that he cannot fix things on his own by the way he's carrying on. No, to fix this debacle Gabe will need a woman's touch and luckily for him she's just the woman for the job. And she'll fix it no matter the cost because at the stake of a life; no cost is too high. It doesn's matter if she runs the risk of remembering, it's a chance she will just has to take. She can't show any fear or trepidation at a time like this. And it's a bit, dare she say, greedy to want to hold onto her ignorance while Kenshin is in danger. Even so, it would be nice to be left oblivious in the dark.

Tomoe sighed to herself, her mind made up. Thinning her lips resolutely, Tomoe abruptly left her favorite nook to go find a certain archangel in order to get some answers from him. And she will get some answers from him, one way…or another. With that thought in her mind a deadly smile alit her face, a smile that's disturbing to see on such angelic features as hers. And as her form disappeared against the horizon she couldn't help but wish that her infallible intuition was wrong for once, oh how she wished it.

* * *

Ange Noir: I know it's short but it's longer than last time. I have come to a decision to make my chapters shorter that way I won't be overstressed and I will have more of a chance updating sooner. I also have two other stories going on that I need to update as well. One is getting rad reviews so I'm estactic. 

**Reviews**

Firegal777

Okay, okay! Sheesh, I'm updating! Happy now?

Lucky7gurl

I must be one of the few able to kill a reader with lack of updating. Your name really is misleading you know. Well I updated so you can you know, come back alive again and all that good stuff.

DeguChan

No not a chinchilla! Anything but a chinchilla! You like my poems? I feel so special now. Well to welcome the end of this year where I have onle updated once (so amazing) here is the new chapter!

Elf fanatic Lark

Oh, don't be that way! Here's the next chapter. See, your patience really didpay off. Now you can uncross your arms now because if they have to get amputated, you won't be able to scrool down and read my later updates of the future.

Cleo

This story goes out to you!


	12. Falling

Disclaimer: I asked the birthday fairy but then I remembered that we're not exactly on speaking terms right now. I received a note from her and she's updating my usual gifts 'yeah right loser' notes to kitty poo. Oh I feel the love.

Ange's Spot: I wanted this to come out before New Year but I was at my brother's house and he doesn't have a floppy drive. What's more is that he says I'm old-fashioned for using one and not knowing how to use a disk! He still has dial-up and he's calling me old-fashioned? I'm appalled, flabbergasted, I'm out of words in my thesaurus! My chapters from now on will be short because I see no other way. On the plus side, more poems! The downside is the really short chapters that won't seem like a chapter for some, but that just means faster updates more or less. To stop procrastinating was on top of my resolution list (as was it for the past few years) so we might see some good results this time around. I'm kind of rusty now and since I'm beta-less bear with me. Oh regressing onto a side note, I joined a newly established anime club at my school. It's officially called Asian culture club so the rest of the school won't think we just watch cartoons all day. Cartoons! Can you believe that? I'm appalled, flabbergasted, I need a new thesaurus! The first meeting was like a support group of why were all addicted to the stuff. I bet were going to be moving onto the 12-step plan soon. As long as they don't put me on the patch I'm fine. I met someone at my poor excuse for a school who also does fanfiction. It's Yu-Gi-Oh but it's still fanfiction. I also know someone else but he just likes doing the really odd pairings like _really _odd. Enough rambling now for I bet all of you realized that this is just my attempt to make this chapter seem longer than it really is.

Voc.

Shishou-master

Sake- Japanese rice wine

* * *

Part Ten- Falling

* * *

I'm dropping fast

My life is on the go

I search for a grasp but only air do I catch hold

I'm plummeting

Falling

My heart is just about stalling

Yet I search for a light and it's your name that I'm calling

I see the ground

Too soon

Too fast

I'm tumbling down into my unfinished past

Please hold out your arms and catch me

For it's only your face that I truly wish to see

* * *

He was falling, falling fast and dangerously so. It's been such a blur from the time that Gabe shoved him to now. Kenshin didn't know how long he'd been falling and he didn't know how long it will be until he stopped. It would be better if he didn't try to think that far ahead because just the thought of crashing headfirst into the ground was starting to make him a little uneasy. As Kenshin looked around him, he couldn't tell even with his heightened senses what his surroundings were and it burned his eyes to even try. He could feel the air rush past him and his unbounded hair stung his face. However this didn't register to him in the slightest, for it felt as if he was at a standstill with the world rushing pass him; it was an odd sensation to say the least.

Kenshin closed his eyes in an effort to clear his mind. He could remember when he was younger and under his shishou's care that his master Hiko used to meditate all the time. Granted it was always accompanied with a bottle of sake, but he'll just have to make do with what he had. Kenshin sat down without realizing it but then opened his eyes in shock when he recalled exactly where he was. Looking around in wonder, he tried to figure out how such a feat was possible. That's just it, it wasn't possible. He was sitting on air believe it or not. Then again, the past recent events haven't been at all reasonable or logical in any way so this probably wasn't so much of a feat. Ignoring his new discovery, Kenshin closed his eyes once more and tried to get comfortable with the fact and to forget it at the same time that all that was supporting him was the unpredictable air swirling around him. Kenshin even out his breathing and to relax and focus his thoughts. Soon he was so at ease that he didn't even give it a moment's thought that gravity could quite suddenly turn against him and send him plummeting to his demise. He felt great, better than great. Maybe Hiko did this more than to just enjoy his sake in peace, but knowing his shishou as well as he did, then maybe not.

Kenshin wrinkled his brow in concentration as he reviewed the facts that he amassed in the past few weeks. He was basically heading back to Japan to occupy a body that wasn't his own. That understandably didn't sit too well with him but there wasn't anything he could about it. His life was now in other peoples' hands and although he didn't like not being in control, he'll just have to accept it and move on. The only good thing is that it won't be permanent. It is only temporarily…right? Great, now he's doubting himself. Not a good trait of a samurai, retired or otherwise. Once he sees Gabe again he'll ask him about it; he will get a chance because they can't just leave him stranded like this.

How unnerving it is to find that he's merely a test subject in all this. But no matter what, he'll trust Gabe because he's an archangel after all so he must have some knowledge of what he's doing… hopefully. No, he won't quesstion Gabe now, especially not at a time like this. And really what's the worst that could happen; he's already dead as it is. On the other hand, Gabe can mistakenly put his soul in that of an animal instead of a person. Now how would he be able to woo Kaoru if he was a…a…_pig_ or something? She may have open arms for all kinds of wayward strays him being a fine example, but if he turned into an animal then he'll only be welcomed for dinner, leaving a bad taste in everyone's mouth if Kaoru is the one doing the cooking. Before you know it, he'll be dead all over again. What a bleak outlook his future now seems; given a second chance to only be killed all over again. Well there goes his self-confidence.

Kenshin opened his eyes; the backs of his eyelids no longer him the comfort that he desired. He wasn't scared of his easy descent in the thin air anymore. It didn't give him problems when he first found himself in this situation so it's unlikely that it would now.

Suddenly, the wind picked up and Kenshin was no longer able to sit. Being sent into a freefall, he realized that he spoke too soon, and what a great time for gravity to catch up on him. Trying to look around him all he saw was the expansive foggy air and the harsh wind whipping around him. Kenshin felt himself being squeezed and his non-existent lungs constricted so painfully and tightly that he couldn't breath; he needed air. Seeing that he was dead he didn't know how that was even possible. The viselike feel on his chest lessened, and he greedily inhaled the air rushing towards him.

Once breathing no longer was a trouble for him, Kenshin realized that he wasn't falling anymore but was flying and with a purpose of direction it seemed. This is worse than freefalling for he knew that once he stopped the outcome would be complete and there would be no going back. Apprehension fluttered inside him but he pushed his uncertainties away. He couldn't avoid to feel that way for it wasn't about him but the fate of Japan and more importantly Kaoru as well.

Kenshin came to an abrupt halt when he crashed into an object of some kind or another. White pain streamed through him and seared his body rendering him immobile. "I won't make it." He thought frantically as he felt his very soul being ripped away from his grasp. No, he had to make it for he made a promise to Kaoru and he never broke a promise especially one made to her. His consciousness slowly ebbed away while his thoughts centered on Kaoru and the fact that he had failed her yet again. As he closed his eyes, Kenshin pictured the one he failed and before his essence fully escaped him it gave one last painful throb. And then… there was darkness.

* * *

Ange: A little over five pages and packaged for your pleasure. I know it's a little over a month so I apologize. At least this one is longer, right? I have midterms all this week so I had time to trim the edges so to speak. Let's still celebrate that I got it out okay? My birthday was on the seventh so I'm one year older! Sad thing is that I'm too to get a job or my license and I'm a year away from college!

**Review Repsones**

Special thanks to:**angelprincess22** and **stay-kawaii** for putting me on your favorite author list and special thanks as well to **misenagi**, **GranolaBar**, **Ms. Zeal**, **Kaze no fuku**, **Mi Eyez R Brown KnOt Black**, **DeguChan**, and **angelprincess22 **(again) for adding me on your author alerts. It doesn't matter if it's for this story or another so thanks!

Lucky7Gurl

Glad to hear that my story means so much to you and that you're still breathing. Hopefully this chapter won't kill you off.

Deguchan

I hope your necks not brocken and it's not too much over a month…is it? I hope you like this update because me and chinchillas really don't get along.

Mana Mihara

Gasp, I finally update! I just want to say how much I love your story and your review, it really made my day. Okay I'll back off now so that my obsessive tendaencies won't start up. You should see that number of restraining orders I've received but in my defense you're not really up there until you have your own stalker. I hope you like the poem for this chapter!

Shadowshow51

I'm sure we all would…even me. Sorry to say the answer's not in this chapter. You'll just have to stick around and wait like the rest of us.

**Ange:**

Guess what new fad is starting up for authors? Reviewing the reviewers! It's so outrageous that you can't help but join up in the fun! So people when you review don't be lazy like me and not sign in. That way I can review_ your_ story!

_Remember_: Forget to review once; shame on me. Forget to review twice; shame on you!


	13. The Unveiling

Disclaimer: I had a nightmare that I didn't own Rurouni Kenshin. It was horrifying, truly. The worst part was when I pinched myself I realized that I wasn't asleep. Now _that_ was horrifying. But maybe that it was all a dream _within_ a dream and I haven't woken up yet. That means I may still be dreaming and since I'm dreaming that I didn't own RK maybe in reality I do? Whoa now that's a trip. A lessen to be learned kiddies, psychology and low quantity of sleep do **not** mix.

Ange: Wow, how long has it been? Not that I'm expecting any of you all to keep count, that'll just make me even more guilty and everyone knows that a non-guilty writer is a happy writer. I am so good at procrastinating that it's not even funny, not that it was funny to start out with mind you. Also the promise with the short chapters bit, not so good so you can just scratch that off. This one was five pages so hopefully that will placate you all. Placate, you'll be seeing that a lot in this chapter. I seem to be in a writer's block…again. I swear I don't plan these things they just happen! A good friend of mine ( my imaginary muse because you know all the cool kids have one) that I should just write and that works for me. So now I got this spiffy new notebook (a five-star, only the best for the best, heh) that I carry everywhere. Spiffy is also a neat-o word so is neat-o but unfortunately neither words appear in this chapter. I can't say when I may update again but hopefully soon. And school is almost out too so that would give me some writing time. Going off on a tangent do you know that my school gets out on the 17th of June and everyone I know gets out early? I feel so oppressed. Okay that rant is done with so, enjoy!

* * *

Part Eleven- The Unveiling

* * *

The truth comes out

Rushing like a mighty stream

Nothing is real

All is not what it seems

I'm never one for complimenting

Bit I give credit where credit is due

For the facts were delusional lies

And you figured it out much too soon

I shall lay the cards out on the table

Where from beneath they were hid

Letting go of my fabricated fable

My guilt and cowardice I will now of be rid

* * *

Gabe had been dealing with a guilty conscience as of late. Angels aren't supposed to have those and that goes double for archangels such as him. Of course he knew the cause as to why but he just didn't have the drive to solve it. That is exactly the reason he's been hiding from Tomoe ever since Kenshin left. Granted, he knew he was acting idiotic, childish even. Tomoe's just a simple class angel and a woman at that; and what can a woman do? Of course if she the drive and determination she could strip him of his rank as an archangel for his actions. But certainly she wouldn't do that to _him_. At least that's what he likes to tell himself. 

Gabe looked around for any signs of Tomoe before moving on. For the life of him (no pun intended), he couldn't figure out why he was acting so…_human_. Why wouldn't he just act his status and face up to her for archangels aren't known for being cowards either. Sure there would be some repercussions, but nothing too taxing or so he hoped. The worst case scenario is that Tomoe could get him into some serious trouble. But being optimistic he would like to believe the exact opposite will happen to him in which, he earnestly wished for, Tomoe will just smile, fly away, and never bother him about Kenshin again. But his intuition told him to disregard the latter for not only were they much too rare but his instinct never led him astray before. And plus this is Kenshin's life he's messing with, Tomoe's husband to put it loosely. She may not realize the feelings that she still harbors for him but her heart does and that can spell disaster for them all.

Gabe stopped walking as his mental dilemma got the better of him. Letting go of his surroundings the archangel sank to the ground deep in thought, contemplating his decisions. Riddles and conflicts flittered around his intellectual mind. He considered them all until he exhausted all of his options and none but one lay before him. Gabe knew what he had to do but that didn't bring him the relief that he was searching for. And it was at this moment of enlightenment in where he had came to a final conclusion that Tomoe found him, seated upon the heavenly ground of Eden.

It was the sound of wings that alerted Gabe to the presence of another angel. He looked up annoyed at being interrupted, but that was until he recognized who he was scowling at. Tomoe looked down at him sadistically enjoying the stricken look on his face. And it served him right; after all he had put her through. But was it acceptable for angels to be so cruel? Even if it wasn't, she felt no guilt.

"So tell me Gabe," she opened conversationally, smiling when he started, "enjoying the view down there?"

Gabe scrambled up to face Tomoe, his face wary. He didn't bother to reply for what good would it do? All traces of pleasantries erased from her face and what replaced it was unreadable. And Gabe didn't enjoy the abrupt change for it made him uncertain, another trait undesirable for an archangel. "Look Tomoe I can explain?" Gabe tentatively said in an attempt to redeem himself.

One look at Tomoe's oddly blank and indecipherable expression Gabe quickly quieted. He wished that she would show him some emotion good or bad if only to calm his unease. "Explain?" Tomoe questioned him mockingly, "You have better and this time I want the complete story without you skirting around the truth." Her tone left no room for discussion and Gabe didn't have the strength to object.

"Where do you want me to start?" He asked resigned and listless.

"At the beginning," Tomoe answered sarcastically, "but stop once you get to the end."

Gabe smirked at her dry humor. The Tomoe of now is very different from the Tomoe she was when alive. By now they have gravitated towards a nearby bench and Gabe was glad to have a chance to sit down for his legs no longer had the strength to support him anymore. He sighed despondently the last stressful days catching up to him and slowly ebbing away his remaining strength.

Gabe looked everywhere but at Tomoe not wanting to see the anger and disappointment reflecting in her eyes. Even he was disappointed at himself and Kenshin will be too once he finds out about the situation that he's in. He just can't seem to please anyone now.

"Well?"

Gabe looked up at the irritated angel. He must have been spacing out again. "Sorry about that," he apologized sheepishly, "just trying to arrange my thoughts."

"You have had plenty of time to arrange them," Tomoe bit out, clearly not accepting his apology, "what with you avoiding me and all." Gabe at least had the grace to look shamed at that barb. "I want answers Gabe and I want them now." Tomoe stopped to control her mounting temper. She didn't know what was wrong with her. She's usually not this quick to anger, honestly. "Gabriel," her tone more subdued than before, "What exactly is going on?"

Tomoe had never used his full name before and with that disheartening tone he hoped to never hear it from her again. Gabe's spirit plummeted even more that before for he had no idea that this situation had affected her so deeply. And it hurt even worse because he knew that he could've prevented her misery but he did not and that is where all his problems lie. Gabe halted his musings for he had stalled this confrontation long enough and he had to tell the truth; _needed_ to tell her the truth. She, more than anyone else deserved as much.

"There had never been a case like Kenshin's before." Gabe started out suddenly. He tried to ignore the pressure of Tomoe's gaze so as not to get distracted. This is a delicate matter that he's discussing so it needs to be handled with care. "No one," Gabe continued speaking, "no one in history has ever died who wasn't suppose to. Everyone dies for a reason but in Kenshin's case there was none. There was greater reason for him to remain alive for he will do more good living than dead."

"I know that already," Tomoe interrupted him, "just get to the part that I don't."

"Yeah, sorry about that; it was just a refresher you see." Gabe grinned in embarrassment before resuming the discussion at hand. "As I said, Kenshin wasn't meant to die yet. It was entirely out fault regrettably. We were simply slacking off and being careless, and since this was our mistake we had to fix it in the only way possible."

"By sending him back." Tomoe answered for him.

"Exactly," Gabe agreed, "We had to send him back in any way possible even if it was through the body of another."

"But something went wrong." Tomoe prodded him with her voice carefully devoid of any emotion.

"You must realize though, this was all in the experimental stages." Gabe's voice was desperate, nearly pleading with Tomoe to understand the situation.

"So you made Kenshin your guinea pig!" Tomoe asked in disbelief; the raw emotion making her voice spike.

"That's one way to put it but we researched every component." Gabe argued in an attempt persuade her. "We…I…_I_ was sure that it would work, it had no reason not to."

"But it didn't." Tomoe couldn't keep the accusation out of her tone. The anger just seeped into her words causing Gabe even more hurt.

"No," Gabe reaffirmed her dispirited, "it didn't." Gabe's voice deflated all of her anger. He sounded so lost and so weary and although he caused much of this trouble he did not deserve to be so.

"What happened Gabe?" Tomoe questioned calmly trying to not give into the urge of soothing the archangel's troubled soul.

"The variables were too great." Gabe answered mutely. "I should have tried it on some other spirits before conducting it on Kenshin. Maybe the whole research was flawed. I don't know." For the first time since he started speaking he made eye contact with Tomoe. And from the unstable emotions brimming in his eyes she realized that he's only a child just forced to grow up before his time. Gabe at this moment reminded her of a small boy from her past, a child with the same black hair and soulful brown eyes who always went on living with a façade before everyone. But remembering the past is dangerous so Tomoe didn't dare venture further down that risky road. Yet that child…it haunts her.

Gabe broke eye contact and looked away, not focusing his eyes on anything in particular. "His soul was meant to be transferred into an unused body. I planned this since he arrived, knowing that he wouldn't want any other options offered." He broke off into a humorless, bitter laugh, the forced sound foreign to even his ears. What disgust Tomoe must feel for him now, what utter shame. He was ashamed with himself as well. He was supposed to be a role model for all angels so mistakes are unthinkable. But he committed the inexcusable and soon found himself at fault bringing with him dire consequences. Gabe, as an Archangel was supposed to be the epitome of perfection. Where was his perfection now? Oh how low he had fallen.

Gabe stood up overcome with restlessness. He was facing away from Tomoe with distant eyes focusing on sights only he could see. When he resumed talking it was as if he forgot all about her presence, speaking aloud only to himself to both torment and reassure him, "Yes, Kenshin was supposed to be placed inside an empty vessel of sorts, but…" A sigh ghosted through his lips and he paused once again, unknowing how to proceed.

"But?" Tomoe urged him on. She was at a dilemma, wishing him to continue but at the same time fearful of what he had to say.

Gabe realizing he had an audience turned back to face the anxious angel. Tomoe deserved to hear this without his back towards her. He still kept his distance though for reasons unknown, "But," Gabe finished his voice ominous with a sense of finality, "Kenshin's soul never made it into that empty body. His spirit instead is drifting towards some unknown body, some unknown body that is already occupied. Kenshin soon will realize this as will the soul being forced to share its own body.

In the utopia of heaven all is peaceful and tranquility and calm echoes through the souls of all who dwell there. Through the souls of all with the exception of two spirits, a troubled archangel and another celestial being, both heavily laden with grave hearts of earthly problems. And life goes on in all the three realms of the world, but for these two heavenly individuals time remains in a stasis and despair and woes rings throughout it.

* * *

**Ange**: So how was it? I really had a problem with the dialogue so hopefully I didn't mess up too royally. I also made Gabe a little sexist if you guys notice. The '_what can a woman do_' comment I got from The Mummy and I got to tell you the sequel is total suckage. Suckage! Great word number three! What am I the only one keeping count? Tomoe seems a tad OOC but that happens. Hopefully it's not too much of a problem. I don't have much to say except that I will try to update soon but I'm not making any promises 'kay? Oh and since I might not know when the new chapter will come out if you put this story on story alert that should settle that. If you don't have an account I recommend it as well for you can keep track of all your favorite stories and authors, have the history of all your wondrous reviews and also it's Free! Speaking of which, I realized that I haven't read any of my reviewers' stories. My reviewers, another great word or rather words. I should really make my own dictionary or something but that involves works and we two don't get along to great. I'm sorry if I ignored that promise but I have about 138 author alerts plus my lazy attempts at writing so I'm kind of swamped. I may be able to try it some day but not right now. So watch out for one day you may see my name in you inbox and come to find out that there is a blue moon and pigs are flapping their pudgy rings around it. 

**Responses of Reviews**

**Special thanks go out to _Ryko__ Kitty_, _catti-dono_, _battosaichick_, _feral instincts_, _starmelody_, and _Launigsiae_ for putting me on their author alert list. Forgive me if I missed anyone.**

Mysterious Flame

Gee, thanks so many compliments! You're a natural at this. Hopefully this chapter lives up the previous ones. And keep rolling the praises; I never grow tired of them!

benign intent

I put that poem up as a place holder of sorts. It's gone now so no worries.

cattie-dono

Yeah you may want to hurry up on that Kleenex because snot is really hard to get off once it hardens. I'm really glad you liked the death scene at least that what I hope your sobbing about and not about the suckage of the story. I might redo it if I have the time but it's not likely. Oh and on a side note thanks so much for putting me on your favorites list. I feel so special now.

Kkwy

Thanks I thought so too, that's why I'm writing it.

Tahl Jin

That's a relief because if you have then that would be plagiarizing. I'm glad you liked Kenshin's death (somewhat) because if you're sad then I'm happy. That's twisted logic but it works for me. Sorry about the delay but better late than never, right?

Ms. Zeal

I did put Kenshin through a lot of torment, haven't I? Well it has to get worse before it gets better right?

Night-Owl123

Wow, look above an update! Saitou, huh? Maybe…

battosaichick-

You have to read to find out! I love cliffhangers, giving them not reading them. I made you an addict? I feel that I have finally done something with my life. I'm sure that there's a twelve step plan for your 'condition' but really there's not better addiction than fanfiction now is there?

Lucky7gurl

You are SO welcome! And Thank **YOU** _so_ much for updating again!

cleo

I'm sure everyone would love to know Kenshin's identity but that doesn't mean I'll tell. But you have a leg up since you're cleo and all.

**Ange**: That's all I have to say until next time except brownie points for all those people who can guess about the kid that Tomoe was talking about.


	14. Alive?

Farewell, Goodbye

Until we meet again

So long my tried and true friend

We had a blast while it had last

But now it's over with and done

And I will forever miss our past moments of fun

But this is not forever

I will come back someday

Then we can come out again to frolic and to play

On another note I'm sorry

That this poem sucks

I just seem to be running into all sorts of bad luck

So, once again

Goodbye, farewell

Until again we meet

So go out there and explore the world doing something really neat

* * *

_Side note: ( That has got to be the lamest poem I've ever wrote. So I'm sorry for putting you through that torture.)_

* * *

No I am not dead.

This story pretty much is though. That's mainly because it's not that fun to write any more and became more of an obligation to me and when that happens, I know that it's doomed to failure. Another reason is that I was running out of ideas and all I came up with was total rubbish.

When I first started out TDNSD I had a whole different plot than what it is now so a lot of things had to be reworked and moved around. This in no way means that I'm axing this story. If I come up with a random thought or something for it I will jot it down and see where I go from there. But for now this story won't be updated.

I have two other recent Rurouni Kenshin stories ongoing now if that will settle you guys any. I apologize to every one of my recently jilted viewers to this surprising news and I'm also sorry for not telling everyone this sooner. I thought I did but guess I was wrong.

I thank all of you for sticking it out with me for so long and hopefully you may do so for my other fanfictions but if not then if not then

…so long cowboy

(good morning, good afternoon, and good night)

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop nor The Harry Trueman Show.

* * *


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